Formula 2 championship leader Alex Dunne will have his Formula 1 free practice debut with McLaren at the Austrian Grand Prix, substituting Lando Norris in Friday’s FP1 session. Dunne, an Irishman currently in his first F2 season with Rodin, has swiftly progressed through junior series ranks, winning the 2022 British F4 championship and finishing as runner-up in Italian F4 and GB3 Championship.
Joining McLaren’s young driver scheme in 2024, Dunne also serves as a reserve driver for the brand’s Formula E project, boasting two feature race wins in F2 and leading the championship just ahead of Richard Verschoor after a mishap in Monaco. Following this year’s Monaco race incident, Dunne rebounded at Barcelona to reclaim the championship lead.
Dunne has previously tested McLaren’s 2023 car at Zandvoort through its Testing of Previous Cars programme and expressed readiness for the upcoming sessions, including FP1 at Austria, as a significant step in his development within the McLaren Driver Development Programme. McLaren’s team Principal Stella praised the opportunity given to Dunne for valuable experience in an F1 car, emphasizing the importance of rookie sessions in showcasing future talent and providing essential car feedback.
F2 competitor and Ferrari junior Dino Beganovic will also participate in the FP1 sessions in Austria, stepping into Charles Leclerc’s seat for the occasion, complying with the updated FP1 regulations for 2025 where every race driver must sit out two rounds.
