Avoiding Brazil start ‘confusion’ aim over rules revision for Abu Dhabi debut

Jack Doohan has revealed his preparation exercises for his Formula 1 debut at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with attention to the sporting regulations to avoid “delayed start confusion in Brazil”.

This was in reference to when Lando Norris and George Russell left the grid for a second formation when the start to the race was abandoned, having assumed that the regulations were the same as an aborted start.

Doohan, who replaces Esteban Ocon early for the season finale, is aware of the additional parts of a grand prix weekend that he has not experienced in his extensive testing of previous cars programme – and has printed out relevant parts of the sporting regulations to review in his downtime.

He added that he felt quite comfortable, but explained that he needed to use practice to polish up his knowledge of the energy deployment systems, along with sharing the track in qualifying and the race with other cars.

“I’ve been doing quite a lot of testing, whether that’s a race simulation, a quali simulation, but there is a different aspect of being on a race weekend while testing,” Doohan explained.

“You don’t have 19 other cars on track and qualifying. There’s no legal sporting regulations really to follow. So there’s a quite a few things that I’ve been touching up on this week on sporting regulations side.

“I’m making sure that I’m making the most and not putting myself in any uncomfortable situations. Coming back to the simple stuff like a delayed start, which we saw caused confusion in Brazil, and simple things that I may think that I know, but just going back over them.

“Other than that, the team had prepared me quite well. I’m feeling comfortable and I’m feeling ready for the weekend ahead.

“I have a printout sheet [of the sporting regs]. And then a further one that last night to take back. It’s something that we’ll go over more this evening.

“Pitstops is something that I’ve been used to with Formula 2 with that experience. But something that we’re not obviously doing in the TPC with the testing program is we’re not doing live pitstops. We don’t have the full squad.

“So that’ll be an opportunity hopefully, that I get to run through, through FP1 and FP2 to simulate these sort of things, but also as well being in the race, using the energy deployment, using overtake stuff that when I’m the only car on track and testing, I’m not doing.

“These are the little things that I’m touching up on, ensuring that I know and I can maximise it for this weekend.”

Doohan suggested that he might have a little bit of rustiness in wheel-to-wheel combat, but says that he “doesn’t feel out of touch” with it having raced on his home simulator.

He also explained that he did not need to lean too much on his father – five-time motorcycling world champion Mick – for advice, as the senior Doohan was happy with his son’s mentality and preparation for his debut.

Mick Doohan

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

“[My father] was actually going to be coming for my FP1; he was going be flying in this morning. He’s just more happy that he wasn’t just watching me once on track and getting to watch me all weekend,” he said.

“But we had breakfast together which was super nice because I hadn’t seen him since around Baku time. And he’s really excited for me as well, so it’s a super special moment.

“To be honest, [there’s no more advice] – he’s leaving me to it. He’s definitely passed on so much experience and so much knowledge and advice over my years.

“And he’s comfortable and confident with where my head is at currently and where we’ve grouped together. We’re just enjoying the moment together.”