Austrian GP FP1: Alex Dunne stands out in Lando Norris’s car, earns praise from Andrea Stella. Alex Dunne impresses in his FP1 debut at the Austrian GP.

In FP1 of the Austrian GP, Alex Dunne took to the track in place of Lando Norris: here are the first impressions from McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella.

Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris did not participate in FP1 of the Austrian GP. Both were replaced by rookies: Dino Beganovic and Alex Dunne. The latter’s performance came as a surprise. The young McLaren talent finished the first free practice session in fourth place, behind George Russell, Max Verstappen, and Oscar Piastri. McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella shared his thoughts on Alex Dunne’s attitude and work during FP1 at the Red Bull Ring.

Andrea Stella praises the young talent
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after FP1 in Austria, Andrea Stella commented on Alex Dunne’s performance: “First of all, before looking at lap times, I think we must acknowledge that he followed a rather extensive testing plan, with some new parts, some work with the rakes, and some steering wheel settings that we don’t see on TV but definitely keep drivers very busy. Through all of that, Alex [Dunne] was quite diligent and impressive.”