Photo: McLaren F1
Formula 2 title contender Alex Dunne will drive for McLaren in Formula 1’s first free practice session at Monza this weekend.
Dunne is set to replace championship leader Oscar Piastri in FP1 at the Italian Grand Prix this Friday, having completed his maiden practice call-up with McLaren in Lando Norris’s car at the Red Bull Ring in June.
The 19-year-old Irishman was fourth fastest in FP1 for the Austrian Grand Prix, just 0.069 seconds off Piastri’s pace.
“I’m super excited to be back for my second FP1 with McLaren in Monza this weekend,” said Dunne.
“My first one in Austria was an extremely special day for me, but I think to do it again in Monza — which is a track that’s so historic and prestigious — is definitely going to put a very big smile on my face. So really looking forward to it. Hopefully I can build and improve on what was already a strong outing in Austria and help Lando and Oscar as much as possible going into their weekend.”
Dunne has been a member of McLaren’s driver development programme since last year, and got his first taste of F1 machinery with McLaren at Zandvoort in May when he drove its MCL60 chassis from 2023 under the testing of previous cars (TPC) regulations. He did another of those tests at Circuit of the Americas in June.
His rookie F2 campaign has featured two feature race victories, four other podiums, two poles and two fastest laps so far, and he is currently fifth in the standings having previously been top of the points table.
Several other F1 teams have been busy over summer handing mileage to drivers aspiring to race in the championship.
Reigning Super Formula champion Sho Tsuboi tested for Haas in its 2023 car at Fuji Speedway last month as part of the team’s alliance with Toyota Gazoo Racing, and Williams ran its juniors Victor Martins and Luke Browning — both F2 stars — in a TPC test at Silverstone in July.
Martins’ running was to help him familiarise himself with the team, as well as the car, and took place in wet conditions.
“We go through some short runs, high-fuel run, to simulate qualifying, a race, to see how the tyres are behaving,” he said of his test.
“[Also] how I can manage the car with different tools that I can use. Definitely 20 more available than an F2 car! And then I work with probably 20 engineers. Which I’m not used to.”
Felipe Drugovich, the 2022 F2 champion, is still searching for a seat on the F1 grid. He is currently reserve driver for Aston Martin, which has already confirmed its 2026 line-up, and drove for the team in FP1 at the Hungarian Grand Prix a month ago. It was his seventh F1 practice appearance, and second of this year.