Austrian Grand Prix: Alex Dunne to drive Norris’s McLaren in FP1

Alex Dunne will participate in the first practice session of the Austrian Grand Prix this Friday. The Irishman, currently leading the F2 championship with a three-point advantage over Richard Verschoor, will drive Lando Norris’ MCL39 during this session.

A meticulous preparation

Dunne prepared for this event seriously. Last May, he tested the former McLaren MCL60 on the Zandvoort circuit, then recently at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas. These test sessions allowed him to familiarize himself with the complex procedures and specifics of a Formula 1 car.

In a statement published on McLaren’s website, the driver from Offaly said: « It’s an incredible opportunity to be able to drive in FP1 in Austria. I’m really looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the MCL39 and helping the team with the setup for the race weekend. I’ve prepared well for this session, participating in testing with the cars from previous seasons, notably the MCL60, and spending time on the simulator, which has been a fantastic learning experience. Thanks to Zak [Brown], Andrea [Stella], and Alessandro [Alunni Bravi] for their trust. This is an important step in my development within the McLaren Driver Development Programme, and I’m very excited to join the team on track. »

On his side, Andrea Stella, the British team’s director, emphasized the importance of this opportunity for the driver’s development: “It’s fantastic to be able to offer Alex the chance to drive during Free Practice 1, and for him to spend valuable time behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car as part of his development. The team is thrilled to work more closely with him and to rely on his support throughout the weekend, during which he will provide useful feedback to help with the car’s setup. The sessions reserved for rookies are a great opportunity to discover tomorrow’s talents and to offer this rare chance to drive a current car. We look forward to seeing him on track.”

An accelerating journey

Dunne started karting at eight years old before making his single-seater debut in Spanish Formula 4 in 2021, where he secured a pole position and a podium in his first F4 season. The following year, he dominated the British F4 championship with eleven wins and accumulated sixteen wins in total across the different F4 championships he competed in that year. He then finished as the vice-champion in GB3 in 2023, before joining the McLaren program in May 2024.

His performances in F2 with Rodin Motorsport are not going unnoticed this season. Indeed, it only took him two races to secure his first victory.

The Friday free practice session 1 will start at 1:30 PM French time. The Irish driver will also be in action this weekend at the Red Bull Ring, where he will try to consolidate his position as the leader of the F2 championship.