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McLaren Driver Development Programme’s Alex Dunne is to take part in FP1 at this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix n place of Lando Norris.
The 19-year-old began karting at eight years old, securing his first European karting title in the 2019 WSK Champions Cup OKJ Category. He made his single-seater debut in the 2021 Spanish F4 Championship, securing pole position and a podium on debut.
In his 2022 season, he picked up a combined 16 race wins whilst competing in the British, UAE, and Italian Formula 4 Championships, earning him the British F4 Championship title, before going on to earn the vice-champion title in the GB3 Championship the following year.
Dunne was announced as part of the McLaren Driver Development Programme in May 2024 whilst competing in F3. He now races for Rodin Motorsport in F2 and serves as Reserve and Development Driver for NEOM McLaren Formula E Team.
He will get behind the wheel of the MCL39 as part of his development within the McLaren pipeline, which has an overarching aim to help drivers progress towards Formula 1, IndyCar, and the team’s upcoming World Endurance Championship entry.
Earlier in the year, McLaren announced that Pato O’Ward will take part in FP1 at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The team will announce who will drive in the remaining two Free Practice sessions in due course, which will complete the team’s four young driver outings as mandated in the 2025 Sporting Regulations.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to be able to drive during FP1 in Austria,” said Dunne. “I’m really looking forward to getting laps in behind the wheel of the MCL39 and supporting the team with the setup for the race weekend ahead.
“I’ve been preparing well for the sessions, taking part in Testing of Previous Cars tests in the MCL60 and spending time on the simulator, which has been a fantastic learning experience.
“Thank you to Zak, Andrea and Alessandro for their faith in me. It’s a great step within my development with the McLaren Driver Development Programme, and I’m really excited to join the team trackside.”
“It’s great to be able to give Alex the opportunity to run in FP1, and for him to get valuable time behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car as part of his development,” added Andrea Stella. “The team are pleased to be working with him more closely, and for his support across the weekend, where he will be providing useful feedback to help with the car’s setup.
“The rookie sessions are fantastic for seeing the talent of tomorrow and enabling that rare chance to get time in a current car, so we look forward to seeing him on track.”
