McLaren has officially confirmed that 19-year-old Alex Dunne will take part in his maiden Formula 1 free practice session at this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix. The current FIA Formula 2 championship leader will step into the cockpit of the MCL39, temporarily replacing Lando Norris for the 60-minute FP1 session.
Dunne, who joined McLaren’s junior driver programme in mid-2024, previously sampled Formula 1 machinery during a private test at Zandvoort last month, driving the team’s 2023 challenger, the MCL60. That experience served as a key part of his preparation for his Formula 1 debut this weekend.
First Irish F1 driver since 2003
With this outing, Dunne becomes the first Irish driver to participate in an official Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend since Ralph Firman raced for Jordan in 2003, marking a significant milestone for Irish motorsport.
It’s an amazing opportunity to be able to drive during FP1 in Austria, Dunne shared.
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.
Preparation and gratitude
The teenager emphasized the work that has gone into his development leading up to the Grand Prix.
I’ve been preparing well for the sessions, taking part in Testing of Previous Cars in the MCL60 and spending time on the simulator, which has been a fantastic learning experience, he said.
He also acknowledged the support of McLaren’s leadership:
Thank you to Zak [Brown], Andrea [Stella], and Alessandro [Alunni Bravi] 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.
A milestone for McLaren’s 2025 rookie commitment
This session will be McLaren’s first FP1 rookie run of the 2025 season. Under current FIA regulations, all teams must allocate four FP1 sessions to rookie drivers throughout the season, twice the requirement from 2024.
With Dunne’s FP1 debut, McLaren takes its first step toward fulfilling that mandate while providing valuable experience to one of its most promising talents.
The Austrian Grand Prix will take place from 27th June to 29th June.