Could Jack Doohan Replace Charles Leclerc in Madrid?

The Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid could have an unexpected guest on the grid, Jack Doohan, Haas reserve driver, has generated a wave of speculation after his team in the European Le Mans Series announced his absence for the last two rounds of the championship. The decision, which the team itself attributed to changes in his calendar, coincides with the uncertainty surrounding Charles Leclerc's participation in the Madrid race after his heavy crash in Monza.

The Monegasque suffered a 60G impact when he lost control of his Ferrari on the second lap of the Italian Grand Prix, crashing into the barriers at over 230 km/h. Although Leclerc got out of the car on his own and initial examinations did not detect serious injuries, the driver admitted that his vision was temporarily affected: "The right eye wasn't showing me a good image but now everything is fine" he declared, however the driver acknowledged that he will have to undergo additional checks before traveling to Madrid and his participation in the first free practice on Friday will be decisive.

Ferrari does not want to take risks and has activated a contingency plan, according to RMC Motori, the Scuderia has put Antonio Giovinazzi on alert as a possible replacement. The Italian, currently competing in the WEC with the Ferrari 499P, could jump into the SF-26 if Leclerc's feelings are not right during Friday's practice, Giovinazzi's experience in Formula 1 where he competed with Alfa Romeo between 2019 and 2021, makes him a logical option to cover a possible absence.

However, Jack Doohan's name has gained strength in recent hours, if Ferrari decided to promote Ollie Bearman from Haas to cover Leclerc's seat, the American team would need a replacement for its main driver and that is where the Australian, who already serves as Haas reserve driver alongside Ryo Hirakawa, comes into play; the freeing up of his schedule in the ELMS just before the Spanish Grand Prix does not seem like a coincidence.

Doohan's situation at Haas is especially relevant for the future. Ayao Komatsu, the team principal, confirmed in Monza that the Australian is among the five candidates to occupy the second seat in 2027 alongside Esteban Ocon, Hirakawa and the F2 drivers Rafael Camara and Leonardo Fornaroli, Bearman already has his place secured for next season, which leaves a vacant seat that Doohan aspires to occupy.

The Australian's record in F1 is brief but significant, he ran six Grands Prix with Alpine in 2025 before being replaced by Franco Colapinto, without scoring points and with a thirteenth place as his best result. Haas has reserved a testing program for him that includes a day at Jerez after the Spanish Grand Prix, a key evaluation for the definition of the 2027 seat. A possible return to the grid in Madrid would be a golden opportunity to prove his worth.

The Madrid paddock will be attentive to Leclerc's medical updates and to the movements in the driver market, the possibility of seeing Doohan back in an F1 car adds an extra attraction to a weekend that is already historic due to the debut of Madring, the Australian's future could be defined in the coming days.