After having a full race weekend with MP Motorsport in Jeddah, Jack Doohan has reflected on his first taste of driving an FIA Formula 2 car for the first time.

Finishing second in the FIA Formula 3 championship this season with Trident wasn’t enough for Doohan as he sets his eyes on joining the next tier of racing.

The Australian driver was the highest-placed rookie in the weekend’s opening session despite not setting himself any targets to impress.

Doohan admits to adapting to the upgraded machinery from F3 car quite quickly. Nevertheless, after his debut in Free Practice, the 19-year-old driver expected to have better results.

He said, “Started the weekend off well with 8th in Practice, had a good feel for the car for my first time in a car higher than Formula 3. It was good to get in a few laps and stay away from the walls.”

“Then in Qualifying, I think we underestimated the change from Practice to Qualifying with the temperature and the compounds because we just didn’t really get the car in the correct window, so we finished 16th and very out of place, I think.”

Even though the Saudi Arabian weekend marked the young Australian’s F2 debut, Doohan’s high standards still meant he could find more potential.

“Race 1 was not so bad, not ideal, but we were able to get up into 11th. Unfortunately, just missing out on the reverse grid pole for Race 2 by less than a tenth.”

Furthermore, Doohan wasn’t expecting to qualify higher than 16th on his first time in the car, but he still sought the potential to be as fast as anyone else on the grid.

“In Race 2, I was able to get the car in a good window, and we were actually really quick, and I think that in clear air, we were probably the fastest or at least as fast as anyone else. I was able to get 5th, and if a few things had gone our way, we might have ended up on the podium.”

“Overall, I’m very happy with the weekend and looking forward to Abu Dhabi.”

Image: Formula Motorsport Ltd