Formula One driver Jack Doohan faced severe death threats that necessitated armed guards for his safety during the 2025 season with Alpine.
Threats Emerge Before Miami Grand Prix
Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix last May, the 23-year-old Australian received alarming emails. Doohan shared in Netflix’s Drive to Survive docu-series: “I got serious death threats for this [Miami] Grand Prix, saying they’re going to kill me here if I’m not out of the car. I had six or seven emails saying if I am still in the car by Miami, all my limbs will be cut off.”
The threats intensified online, with campaigns targeting Doohan and his family, primarily from social media users in Argentina.
Online Abuse Escalates Post-Race
Weeks after the Miami event, Doohan posted on social media, urging trolls to stop harassing his family. He had been replaced at Alpine by Franco Colapinto, an Argentine driver who previously served as the team’s test and reserve driver.
A Formula 1 parody account, ‘formulafakers,’ fueled the backlash by creating a fake Instagram post attributed to Doohan’s father, former MotoGP champion Mick Doohan. The post featured Colapinto’s crashed Alpine car with the caption “Very impressive” and laughing emojis, mocking the Argentine racer.
Several Argentine media outlets mistakenly reported the post as authentic, sparking a wave of abuse against Doohan and his relatives.
Armed Protection at the Track
The situation grew so dire that authorities provided Doohan with armed guards and a police escort at the Miami Grand Prix. He arrived with his girlfriend, Ebony Zippora Gold, and trainer. Doohan recounted: “I was there with my f***ing girlfriend and my trainer, and I’ve got three f***ing armed men around me. I had to call my police escort to come and get it under control.”
The ordeal overshadowed his Formula 1 debut. “I wasn’t able to enjoy being a Formula 1 driver, something I dreamt of for so long. So yeah, it’s pretty s***,” Doohan stated.
Career Update
Doohan scored no points in his first six races with Alpine before transitioning to a reserve role post-Miami. He parted ways with the team last month and recently joined Haas as a reserve driver for the 2026 season.
