Five-time 500cc World Champion Mick Doohan seems like the sort of bloke who knows no fear. But when it comes to watching his 19-year-old son, Jack racing Formula 2 cars at speeds well above 300km/h, it turns out he feels just like any other dad would – terrified.

Mick and Jack sat down with Stephen Corby to talk fear, going fast and who’s better at chess.

Stephen Corby: “So Mick, when I watch my son ski or even ride a bike down a steep hill, I get scared. What’s it like watching Jack race cars?”

Mick Doohan: “I think every father or mother is the same. Whatever your kids are doing, you freak out a little. The good thing is that Jack’s been doing this for a long while and he prepares himself well, and I’ve got the confidence that he can drive the cars. It’s just everything that’s outside of his control that you worry about. But any sport is the same; when you send your kids away on a bus or whatever, you don’t know what’s going to happen. Clearly motorsport has a dangerous element to it, so you’ve just got to hope that he’s got all those challenges in hand.”

SC: “Fair enough, but most of us don’t have to put our kids on a bus that’s doing 300km/h. You weren’t disappointed that Jack didn’t follow you into motorcycle racing?”

Mick Doohan: “It’s definitely a relief that he’s not a motorcycle racer. Fortunately, from a young age, he went down the four-wheel path. His buddies were racing go-karts, so I think he followed them. Plus, he hurt himself on a dirt bike when he was about five years old and that sort of took the edge off the motorcycle thing.”

SC: I have heard that you’ve got a go-kart track on your property in Australia, and that for a while your good friend Michael Schumacher held the lap record there. Who’s faster these days, you or Jack?
Mick Doohan: Well, Michael certainly had a run around the place, and he was quick … whether or not he was a lap-record holder, I’m not sure. We had the home track advantage, I guess, but I’d say that this smart-arse beside me [pointing to Jack] has probably got it these days.

SC: Jack, lots of people grow up wanting to be just like their dad, how aware were you of what your father did? Was going into motorsport part of that, or is it just a passion that developed for you?

Jack Doohan: “Initially, I had no clue who dad was.”

Mick Doohan: “He doesn’t mean that there were lots of other men around the house, I swear.”

Jack Doohan: “I don’t think it was until I went to school that I really started to realise who he was, what he’d done and what those trophies and bikes were down at the bottom of the house. I was quite keen on rugby as well as karting until I was about 12 or 13, so I think I went for motorsport in a very natural way, which I think is the best, because then you’re not going to fall out of love with a sport you were forced into.”

SC: “There are plenty of father-and-son stories in motorsport – Gilles and Jacques Villeneuve, Keke and Nico Rosberg, Max Verstappen and his father, Jos. It seems like people in motor racing don’t experience the same fear most of us do when approaching a corner at high speed, do you think that’s something you’ve inherited?”

Jack Doohan: “I don’t think so, because when I was younger, there was that element of fear, of not being able to control the car, getting used to the speed. You know that if there’s a mistake, if something happens, you might not be able to handle it properly. I think it’s like anything, you just get used to it, you adapt. Your eyes get up to speed and everything just becomes normal.

SC: “The other thing you’ve got to have in motorsport is competitive drive. Mick, would you say Jack is as competitive as you were?”

Mick Doohan: “I think from a young age, whether it was rugby, or even school athletics, second was never an option [for Jack]. He wasn’t a happy podium placer. I think that’s just a natural thing … you’ve either got that or you haven’t. Jack’s not happy if he’s not winning, and when things don’t go well, it’s not, ‘Well, we did our best.’ There has to be a reason for why things haven’t gone that well. I think, whether it be in sport or in business or whatever, that makes the difference between somebody wanting to succeed, and somebody who’s just happy to play the game.”

SC: “And Jack, your dad was renowned for being super competitive when he was racing, what’s he like at Monopoly?”

Jack Doohan: “I did beat him at chess last week and he was NOT happy. He was fired up over a friendly chess match, so I know that we are quite alike.”

SC: “Mick, are there similarities between racing cars and bikes?”

Mick Doohan: “The mental side is exactly the same. It’s competing, there’s pressure, there’s a whole lot of distractions, so it’s about just focusing on what you need to do to win.  Really the [only] difference between bikes and cars is it’s two wheels versus four, that’s about it.”

[quote] “I did beat him at chess last week and he was NOT happy.”

SC: “Jack, what have you learned from your dad that helps you out on the track?”

Jack Doohan: “I think the main things would be work ethic and determination … knowing how much you have to put in in order to be at the top of your sport. Ever since I can remember, [dad] has been gently trying to help me realise that.”

SC: “And Mick, we’re all proud of our kids, but what does it feel like when your son wins a big race at international level?”

Mick Doohan: “Well, sport is an emotional rollercoaster, and even more so as a parent, but I’m very proud and elated to see what he’s achieved. I mean, I was happy when I was winning and being on the podium, but I dare say I’m probably happier when he’s happy and on top of the podium. Watching him win a race is the ultimate for me.”

By Stephen Corby