Jack Doohan admits that he still needs to "get used to" certain aspects of driving an F1 car after taking part in the 2022 post-season test for Alpine. The Australian – who is a member of the Alpine Academy – got behind the wheel for the team at the test day in Abu Dhabi before he embarks on another season in Formula 2 with Virtuosi Racing in 2023. While he has previously participated in Free Practice 1 sessions, Doohan was glad to be given the opportunity of a longer test session in a Formula 1 car, with it offering the chance to experience running in different conditions throughout the day.
F1 post-season test 'super important' for Doohan
"It's super important," he told media, including RacingNews365.com . "Obviously, [we had] a lot of different temperatures going from the morning where the track seemed quite cool, into a big period of almost five hours where the track was stinking hot and behaving completely different. "[You have] the exact same balance on the car and things are completely different. "We have a lot of tools in Formula 1 that are not there in Formula 2, so [it's a case of] just learning to make these adaptations by myself and on my own to ensure that we don't get lost and unbalanced during days like this, especially testing here. "So it's super beneficial for me and moving forward to next year when I get to hop back in the car."
Doohan reflects on 'mental strain' in F1 test
When asked about the physical challenge of driving an F1 car in the heat of the Yas Marina Circuit, Doohan explained that it is the mental side of this that he hopes to continue to adjust to. "It's not that physical, I think [it is] more of a mental strain in a way because, even these cars at high-fuel running [are] still quite a lot faster than what we're doing in Formula 2," the 20-year-old said. "From a steering perspective, from a neck perspective, it's all okay, but just the fact that everything's coming at you so quick for 16 laps on the trot, it's just something that I need to get used to. "As we all do, because that is just something that becomes natural and is not so natural now."
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