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Cinnamon doughnuts, chocolate lava cake and Motocross: Getting to know the real Jack Doohan
Stepping up to Formula 2 as the Formula 3 vice-champion, Virtuosi Racing's Jack Doohan abilities on track are evident, but what about off it?
We caught up with the Australian Alpine junior, who discussed his love of cinnamon doughnuts, his most embarrassing moment and explained why he would love to try rally in the future.
WHERE DO YOU CONSIDER HOME?
“I grew up in Gold Coast, Australia. It's a big city, but not as big as the likes of Melbourne or Brisbane. It is a popular holiday destination. The city centre is on the beach, and there is a relaxed lifestyle.
“It is hard to compare it to anywhere else in the world, but it is very relaxed. Even in the winter, the heat is low 20s, so it is quite nice.”
OUTSIDE OF MOTORSPORT, WHICH SPORTSPERSON DO YOU ADMIRE?
“Muhammad Ali. I follow boxing a little bit, not a great deal, but I think as an athlete, his approach, work ethic, and dedication is incredible. He is the type of person that could be successful in anything that he put his mind to.”
HOW DO YOU RELAX AWAY FROM THE TRACK?
“Spending time with my girlfriend, close friends, and my family. Going to the beach, relaxing, and getting away from everything. It is important to shut off and reset your mind, because if you don’t then you end up becoming boggled. Then, playing various sports, tennis, paddle, just being out and about, without too much exertion.”
WHAT IS ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?
“I would love to be in Formula 1 and to be a Formula 1 World Champion, but something that I think has to sit above everything, is just to be happy. Happy with what I am doing, happy with who I am with. That is the most important thing to me. If I'm happy, then I'll be successful.”
WHO DO YOU GET ON BEST WITH ON THE F2 GRID?
“Probably Marcus Armstrong. He comes to Monaco a few times a year and we catch up. I speak to a few of the other guys, but outside of racing, I don't really hang out with anyone away from the track.”
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WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CHEAT MEAL?
“Fresh, warm cinnamon doughnuts. There are a couple of places at home, pop-ups, that do warm deep-fried cinnamon doughnuts. Doughnut King is another place, and they are out of this world.
“A warm chocolate lava cake would be another, oozing with chocolate, and with vanilla ice cream.
“Finally, and I haven’t had this in ages, but McDonald’s chicken nuggets and chips. 20 nuggets, large chips, with sweet and sour sauce and some ketchup, separately, so you can mix it up.”
WHAT PERIOD IN TIME WOULD YOU WANT TO GO BACK AND WITNESS?
“I would go back and watch one of my dad's racing seasons. I would watch him win his first world championship, I think it would be so cool to be there and see that happen.”
IF YOU WEREN’T A DRIVER, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
“I am very intrigued by business, so I think I would go into my father's business and get into aviation.
“On a sports side of things, Motocross or Supercross. I would love to do some rally, some ice stages, but that is nuts - those guys are crazy. What they are doing, and how quick they are doing it, is incredible. I would love to try that. I think it would 100% improve me as a driver because it is just nuts”
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WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MOVIE?
“The Fast and the Furious films, as a collection.”
WHAT WAS THE LAST SONG YOU LISTENED TO?
“Pieces by AVAION.”
YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT?
“There are too many! When I was around 10, I was at the airport in Melbourne: we were going to a karting race and I was in a Billabong Surf Shop with a couple of mates and one of them pulled my shorts down to my ankles, so I was butt naked, and my reaction time was not there, so I was completely mugged in the middle of this billabong store.
“Once it is done, it is done, you can pull your shorts back up, but the humiliation is done, there is no coming back, everyone has seen it. That is probably the first moment that comes to mind. It has stuck with me ever since.
“As a 10-year-old boy, there is no coming back from that. I would have got them back down the line, but not in that same situation, it was just the perfect setup, I was right in the middle of the store, and it was in front of everyone. Everything just aligned for them, and it was the perfect disaster.”
YOUR FAVOURITE RACING MEMORY?
“My first Formula 3 win at Paul Ricard - that was an amazing feeling. The back-to-back wins in Spa were great, as were the pole positions, but for pure feeling, that first win after so much struggle was awesome.”
YOUR DREAM BIRTHDAY CAKE?
“A huge chocolate lava cake or a giant warm cinnamon doughnut.”
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE QUOTE?
“Nothing in particular, for me, it is just important to be yourself. It is easy to come off the driven path and get caught up trying to please other people. You have to be yourself and you have to be nice, and I think that is very important.”
WHAT IS YOUR MOST TREASURED POSSESSION?
“My passport - without that, I am screwed. It is always kept in the same place, and if it ever isn't there, my heart sinks. My phone, my wallet and my keys are also important, but everything else I can live without. My passport is above all of those. If I lose my passport, especially if it between back-to-back race weekends, I ain't going nowhere.”