The 23-year-old Australian has been a front runner in single seaters since the 2016 Australian Kart Champion switched to cars, finishing as vice champion in the 2021 FIA F3 Championship and third overall in the 2023 FIA F2 Championship. In 2025 Doohan raced for the BWT Alpine Formula 1 Team in six Grand Prix and in 2026 is the reserve driver for the TGR Haas F1 Team.
Doohan is also the son of legendary five-time MotoGP Mick Doohan, who won the Catalan GP in 1997 and 1998 on his way to the 500cc world title in both season. Jack Doohan has also enjoyed success at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, taking an Formula 2 pole position and also finishing on the podium in both F3 and F2 at the Spanish circuit.
The young Australian will be hoping to emulate his single seater success on his ELMS debut in Spain this weekend.
Q: You will be back behind the wheel in 2026 with Nielsen Racing, making your debut in SportsCars/LMP2. What's the challenge?
Jack Doohan: “I’m very excited to be back racing it's almost going to be 12 months since my last race. Amazing to do it with Nielsen Racing and to make this transition into sports cars. There’s a lot to learn and it’s extremely important to get some seat time, but we will get acclimatised quickly having a great team around me to do so and I can't wait to get started.”
Q: You will be joining Ed Pearson and Roy Nissany. What can we expect from the car #24 lineup?
JD: “I think we have a great variety in the lineup, but also maturity. I raced Roy in Formula 2, he is very wise, has many years of experience and also has a year in this car last season. Ed young rookie, hungry, so I think it's a great mixture. We will be working hard to get an awesome synergy between us all to ensure we can extract the most the weekends.”
Q: What do you think of the Oreca 07 LMP2?
JD: “I have done very little driving in the car thus far, but the feeling has been strong and quite a lot different than single seater. Obviously the first thing was a roof over my head and some obstructions in view but nevertheless it's a nice variation in the driving style, obviously multiple stints meaning more than one driver and a bigger picture taken to play for. All in all, it will help and be a massive experience gain for wherever my career goes past here.”
Q: The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya holds a lot of great memories for the Doohan family, with your father winning here and, of course, you’ve taken podium finishes in both F2 and F3 at the track. What are your thoughts on the circuit that you will make your ELMS debut?
JD: “It’s always been a favourable circuit for myself, and I enjoy it very much. It has a nice combination of high speed, low speed and medium speed corners. The chicane at the last corners, which used to be very difficult, is now a very high-speed section and also very exciting. I am looking forward to racing here in a different category, with more cars on track and different speeds.”
Q: What do you think of the 2026 European Le Mans Series calendar?
JD: I think it’s quite a great calendar. Spa has always been one of my favourite circuits so for sure will be very much looking forward to getting back there. There’s also Portimao, a circuit that I've done very little on before but seems quite cool, quite a roller coaster so ending this season there will be exciting.
Q: Tell us a bit more about Jack Doohan. What do you like to do when not racing? Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of motorsport?
JD: “Outside of racing, I think about racing. However, if I am back in Australia, the country I was born in, I would be enjoying surfing, being out on the water, hanging with friends and family.
“If I am on the side of the world at home in Monaco, I’m on a simulator, training out on the bike or spending some time in the sun.”
4 Hours of Barcelona
The 2026 European Le Mans Series will begin on Monday 6 April with The Prologue, the two-day official pre-season test.
The 4 Hours of Barcelona weekend begins on Friday 10 April with Free Practice 1 and the 30-minute Bronze Driver Collective Test.
On Saturday 11 April will feature the second 90-minute Free Practice session followed by qualifying for the 4 Hours of Barcelona. The 4 Hours of Barcelona takes place on Sunday 12 April, with the race due to start at 12h00 and the chequered flag waved four hours later at 16h00.
Tickets are still available from only 8€. CLICK HERE to visit the event page on the official website of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
CLICK HERE to view the provisional timetable for the 4 Hours of Barcelona.
LIVE COVEREAGE ON FIAWEC+ APP
A proving ground for teams and drivers with Le Mans in their sights, the European Le Mans Series is live for free on FIAWEC+, the official home of ELMS coverage, with full race broadcasts, replays and highlights throughout the season. Stream every ELMS race for free with a FIAWEC+ account on https://plus.fiawec.com/en/european-le-mans-series
