A stunning debut for the F2 championship leader: Alex Dunne impressed in FP1 with McLaren, finishing in fourth place and confirming himself as an F1-level talent.
Irish driver Alex Dunne surprised everyone during his first-ever F1 appearance. The Formula 2 points leader stepped in for Lando Norris at McLaren for the FP1 session, as required by the regulations. He ended the session in fourth place, just over two tenths off the top of the timesheets—a remarkable result considering it was his first time in a Formula 1 car. He also finished just a few thousandths behind his teammate and current championship leader Oscar Piastri. At the end of the session, the team commended him for the quality of his work.
What we saw today further highlights the strength of the MCL39, a car that is not only highly competitive but also relatively easy to drive. It allowed a debutant like Dunne, with zero F1 experience, to immediately slot into the top positions of the leaderboard.
Fans of Formula 2 are already well aware of Dunne’s speed—after all, he’s leading the championship—but few would have expected such an impact in his first F1 outing. Especially when comparing his performance to that of Dino Beganovic, who stood in for Charles Leclerc and finished significantly lower. It’s worth noting, however, that Dino Beganovic was conducting test work for the new SF-25 floor and wasn’t in a position to push like Dunne.
Without a doubt, we’ll see more of McLaren’s young talent in the future. He certainly made a strong impression across the paddock today.
This was an extremely valuable experience for Alex Dunne. Performing well in these sessions is crucial, as it leaves a strong impression on all the teams. In a world like Formula 1, every opportunity must be maximized to the fullest.
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