Photo: Race Pictures

Japanese team backs Doohan after triple crash in Super Formula test

20:29, 13 Dec

Updated: 21:51, 13 Dec

byOlly Darcy

Jack Doohan has been defended after his Super Formula test ended in disaster due to a triple crash.

The Australian was axed by Alpine after just six races into the 2025 season and replaced by Franco Colapinto, and three crashes at the Suzuka Circuit capped off a torrid testing spell in Japan.

All three crashes occurred at Degner 2, Turn 9 of the circuit, while testing for Kondo Racing, slamming heavily into the barriers for his first crash, before crashing head-on in the second and third instances.

Photo: Race Pictures

However, despite those crashes, Kondo Racing factory manager Nobuaki Adachi was happy with what the 22-year-old brought to the track.

“Both Luke and Jack performed very well,” Adachi told Motorsport.com.

“It just so happened that Jack had a series of crashes, but he is a driver with a lot of potential. Suzuka at this time of year is very difficult, and I think he’ll be able to make the necessary adjustments to ensure it doesn’t happen again next time.”

Doohan unable to crack the top five

Despite his Friday crash, Kondo Racing were able to fix Doohan's car and allow him to finish his testing out on track, ending the rookie-only session seventh out of 13 drivers with a 1:39.378, with Ugo Ugochukwu topping the timing sheets with a 1:37:770

“I think it would have been heartbreaking for him [not to finish the test on track], so we did everything to get him back out on track," Adachi continued.

“We really wanted him to leave not having a bad impression, and somehow we were able to do that, which I am happy about,” he concluded.

Photo: Race Pictures

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