It’s hardly a surprise the son of five-time world champion motorcyclist Mick Doohan spent the early years of his life preparing to follow in his father’s racing tracks.

Jack Doohan was riding motorbikes almost as soon as he could walk but a backyard accident on his fifth birthday changed his ambitions from two wheels to four.

“When I was younger, I’d say three, four, five, that’s all I wanted to do,” the younger Doohan told AAP.

“Always just two wheels.

“Then I was riding dirt bikes on my fifth birthday around here at home I came off and I broke my leg.

“That halted my ambitions a bit and dad’s.”

A couple of years later Doohan got behind the wheel of a go-kart and has spent the ensuing years pursuing one dream – a career in Formula One.

The 17-year-old has risen from karts through the ranks to now be a part of Red Bull’s junior driver team – the same academy which Australian Daniel Ricciardo used to secure his position as an elite grand prix racer.

Having a famous surname hasn’t been a hindrance for Doohan, who admits that accident as a five-year-old ensured he wasn’t racing with the added burden of emulating his father’s legacy.

“There’s a little bit of pressure. I think there would have been a lot more on two wheels obviously to live up to what dad has done,” he said.

“It would be a lot more excessive if I was on two wheels.”

Like almost every other sportsperson on the planet, Doohan has had to put his ambitions on hold as the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps the globe.

After narrowly missing out on the Asian F3 title earlier this year, Doohan was preparing to race in the FIA Formula Three championship before the season was suspended last month.

“It’s been a big impact obviously because we aren’t allowed to be racing and I’ve had to come back home,” he said.

“We just had the tests at the start of the year in Bahrain at the start of March … and were getting ready to go back there for the race and then the Australian Grand Prix got cancelled and the following day the Bahrain Grand Prix got cancelled.

“Basically it meant since then I have come home and I’ve been here ever since.”

Doohan has spent his time training, racing in online simulations and piloting all kinds of vehicles at the family’s home on the Gold Coast.

While the break is frustrating, the teenager remains committed to his overall goal of emulating Ricciardo and earning a drive in the world’s premier motorsport championship.

“With Daniel Ricciardo coming through the junior program and into F1 and then as well Sebastien Vettel, Max Verstappen – who both came through the junior program into F1 – it is a clear and proven path that they’ve created to bring their young drivers up through the ranks,” he said.

“It’s all about performing and being at the top of whatever you do because they want the best to be in their four F1 seats.”