P1racenews AI automatic summary:
David Coulthard calls for teenager to receive F1 race seat
David Coulthard believes that F1 hopeful Alex Dunne deserves a race seat following his impressive performance during a practice session at the F1 Austrian Grand Prix. Dunne, driving in Lando Norris’ car, was just 0.069s behind championship leader Oscar Piastri and finished fourth in that session, marking his debut in the top series. Coulthard expressed confidence in Dunne’s abilities and highlighted his potential to excel in Formula 1, prompting discussions about McLaren potentially ‘loaning out’ the young driver for a 2026 race seat while retaining him in their long-term plans. Dunne, currently competing in Formula 2 and standing fifth in the championship, has garnered attention for his stellar driving skills and could be a valuable asset for future F1 campaigns. The prospect of Dunne securing a race seat elsewhere to gain more racing experience has been floated by experts like Karun Chandhok, emphasizing the need to nurture and develop promising talents like Dunne within the racing community.
