F1 Driver Jack Doohan Faced Death Threats During 2025 Season

Doohan revealed he had to involve authorities after receiving serious threats, including having his limbs cut off.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Jack Doohan, a Formula 1 driver for Alpine during the 2025 season, revealed that he received "serious death threats" last year. Doohan said people were threatening to cut off all his limbs if he continued driving for the team. The revelations were made public during season 8 of 'Formula 1: Drive to Survive' on Netflix.

Why it matters

Death threats against athletes are extremely concerning and can have a major impact on their mental health and performance. This case highlights the dark side of the intense pressure and scrutiny that top-level athletes face, especially young drivers like Doohan who were making their F1 debuts.

The details

Doohan said he had to call for a police escort after being confronted by "armed men" while with his girlfriend and trainer. He also received threatening emails saying his "limbs will be cut off" if he was still in the car by the Miami Grand Prix. Doohan's performance suffered, and he was eventually demoted to a reserve driver role.

  • Doohan received the death threats during the 2025 Formula 1 racing season.
  • The threats escalated ahead of the Miami Grand Prix on May 3, 2025.
  • Doohan's revelations were made public in season 8 of 'Formula 1: Drive to Survive', which debuted on Netflix on February 27, 2026.

The players

Jack Doohan

A 23-year-old Australian Formula 1 driver who competed for the Alpine team in the 2025 season.

Pierre Gasly

Doohan's fellow driver at Alpine, who said Doohan was facing "toxic" criticism and pressure.

Alpine

The Formula 1 team that Doohan drove for in the 2025 season.

Haas

The American Formula 1 team that signed Doohan as a reserve driver for the 2026 season.

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What they’re saying

“It's not easy to deal with the pressure, tension, death threats.”

— Pierre Gasly, Alpine driver (Formula 1: Drive to Survive)

“On top of all this, I got serious death threats for this Grand Prix. Saying they're gonna kill me if I'm not out of the car.”

— Jack Doohan (Formula 1: Drive to Survive)

What’s next

Doohan has joined Haas F1 Team as a reserve driver for the 2026 season, providing him an opportunity to continue his Formula 1 career after the difficulties he faced in 2025.

The takeaway

This case highlights the intense pressures and threats that top athletes can face, even at the start of their careers. It underscores the need for better mental health support and security measures to protect young sports stars from harassment and abuse.