Jack Doohan's highly anticipated Super Formula debut has dramatically collapsed at the eleventh hour! It seems the young Australian racer, fresh off his departure from the Alpine F1 team, won't be gracing the Super Formula grid this season after all. His negotiations with Kondo Racing, a team he tested with last December at Suzuka, have officially fallen through, leaving a significant question mark over his racing future.
But here's where it gets controversial... While Doohan was widely expected to secure the final seat alongside Luke Browning, Kondo Racing announced on Friday that Ukyo Sasahara will be taking that coveted spot for the 2026 campaign. This move effectively finalizes the 23-car field for the upcoming season, with Shun Koide also confirmed at ThreeBond Racing.
Doohan's path to Super Formula appeared to be paved, potentially as part of a larger deal with Toyota that might have even included reserve driver duties for the Haas F1 team. This would have been a fantastic opportunity for the 23-year-old to stay in the racing spotlight. And this is the part most people miss... the primary reason for the breakdown in talks is understood to be Doohan's expected contribution of a budget to secure his place at Kondo. It's a stark reminder of the financial realities that often shape motorsport careers.
Matters weren't helped by Doohan's performance during the rookie test. He unfortunately crashed three times at the notoriously tricky Degner 2 corner, which significantly hampered his track time. This meant he finished some way behind his compatriot, Williams F1 reserve driver Browning, on the final timesheets. While a single test day doesn't define a driver, in this high-stakes environment, every detail counts.
This turn of events leaves Doohan in a precarious position, facing an uncertain future with very few high-level opportunities likely to be available this late in the off-season. On the other hand, two-time race winner Ukyo Sasahara, who previously drove for TOM'S, has been handed an unexpected lifeline. The 29-year-old tested for Kondo after his departure from TOM'S at the end of the 2024 season but was initially overlooked for a race seat in favor of Zak O’Sullivan. Now, Sasahara will pilot the #4 Kondo car, previously occupied by O’Sullivan who has moved to Team Impul, while Browning will drive the #3 car.
What do you think about this unexpected turn of events? Should drivers be expected to bring a budget to secure a seat in top-tier racing series like Super Formula? Or does performance on track deserve to be the sole deciding factor? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
