Jack Doohan will race the 2026 European Le Mans Series with Nielsen Racing in the #24 LMP2 Oreca alongside Ed Pearson and Roy Nissany, while remaining Haas F1’s reserve driver for the season.
Nielsen confirmed a full ELMS program for Doohan in the Oreca 07. The team will run him with Pearson and Nissany across all rounds, starting at the 4 Hours of Barcelona on April 12, 2026. The move puts Doohan into a busy year in prototypes while he continues to serve Haas in Formula 1.
Haas has named Doohan as its reserve for 2026. He will combine ELMS with third-driver and reserve duties, managing his calendar around both programs. The team expects him to support simulator work and step in if needed. Nielsen will shape its preparation and testing plans with those F1 demands in mind.
The switch to endurance racing follows a change of course away from Japan. Doohan had lined up a Super Formula seat with KONDO Racing, backed by Haas’ technical partner Toyota after Suzuka testing. That plan was dropped after reservations about Kondo Racing following accidents at Suzuka. With the Japan option set aside, ELMS became the focus for 2026.
Doohan arrives in ELMS after a brief and difficult Formula 1 spell with Alpine. He lost his Alpine race seat to Franco Colapinto, then moved into a reserve role before that relationship ended. The Nielsen deal gives him a clear program, seat time in LMP2, and a path to reset after a turbulent period in single-seaters.
He presents the move as a new challenge. The goal is to learn the LMP2 package, master traffic and stint management, and build strong chemistry with Pearson and Nissany. Nielsen will rely on Doohan’s single-seater speed in qualifying and his adaptability over long runs. He aims to be competitive early while growing through the season.
Doohan also keeps his long-term options open. The Haas reserve role keeps him in the F1 framework. His past link to Toyota through the Super Formula plan remains a possible avenue as his career develops. For now, the focus is on the ELMS campaign with Nielsen, where consistent results across the calendar will define the year.
ELMS offers a stable platform and high competition at tracks across Europe. The Oreca 07 remains the standard LMP2 package, and Nielsen has experience in the class. With the driver lineup set and the opener in Barcelona confirmed, Doohan’s 2026 plan is in place on two fronts: endurance racing with Nielsen and reserve duties with Haas.