F1: Dunne to drive McLaren in FP1 in Austria

McLaren Driver Improvement Programme’s Alex Dunne is to participate in FP1 at this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix n place of Lando Norris.

The 19-year-old started karting at eight years outdated, securing his first European karting title within the 2019 WSK Champions Cup OKJ Class. He made his single-seater debut within the 2021 Spanish F4 Championship, securing pole place and a podium on debut.

In his 2022 season, he picked up a mixed 16 race wins while competing within the British, UAE, and Italian Components 4 Championships, incomes him the British F4 Championship title, earlier than happening to earn the vice-champion title within the GB3 Championship the next yr.

Dunne was introduced as a part of the McLaren Driver Improvement Programme in Might 2024 while competing in F3. He now races for Rodin Motorsport in F2 and serves as Reserve and Improvement Driver for NEOM McLaren Components E Staff.

He’ll get behind the wheel of the MCL39 as a part of his improvement throughout the McLaren pipeline, which has an overarching purpose to assist drivers progress in direction of Components 1, IndyCar, and the crew’s upcoming World Endurance Championship entry.

Earlier within the yr, McLaren introduced that Pato O’Ward will participate in FP1 on the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix. The crew will announce who will drive within the remaining two Free Observe periods sooner or later, which is able to full the crew’s 4 younger driver outings as mandated within the 2025 Sporting Laws.

“It is an incredible alternative to have the ability to drive throughout FP1 in Austria,” mentioned Dunne. “I am actually trying ahead to getting laps in behind the wheel of the MCL39 and supporting the crew with the setup for the race weekend forward.

“I have been making ready effectively for the periods, participating in Testing of Earlier Vehicles assessments within the MCL60 and spending time on the simulator, which has been a implausible studying expertise.

“Thanks to Zak, Andrea and Alessandro for his or her religion in me. It is an amazing step inside my improvement with the McLaren Driver Improvement Programme, and I am actually excited to affix the crew trackside.”

“It is nice to have the ability to give Alex the chance to run in FP1, and for him to get worthwhile time behind the wheel of a Components 1 automobile as a part of his improvement,” added Andrea Stella. “The crew are happy to be working with him extra carefully, and for his assist throughout the weekend, the place he will probably be offering helpful suggestions to assist with the automobile’s setup.

“The rookie periods are implausible for seeing the expertise of tomorrow and enabling that uncommon probability to get time in a present automobile, so we look ahead to seeing him on observe.”