McLaren junior Alexander Dunne impressed with an impressive Formula 1 debut at the Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg – The Irishman showed maturity after a wave of online hate
Everything has happened pretty quickly for Alexander Dunne over the past twelve months. In the summer of 2024, he was still a relatively unknown quantity in Formula 3, but then the Irishman was accepted into McLaren’s junior program. One year later, he is fighting for the title in Formula 2 and made an impressive Formula 1 debut in free practice at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The 19-year-old British Formula 4 champion from County Offaly, Ireland, has been in the spotlight ever since – and he’s making the most of it. “Things have developed pretty quickly, especially compared to last year,” says Dunne.
“I’m proud that I stayed calm even in difficult times and continued to believe in myself. This year shows that everything is back on track. I’m very, very happy about the opportunities McLaren has given me – and also about how things are going in Formula 2.”
Highs and lows
But even his successful 2025 season was not without setbacks. After a mass crash at the start of the main race in Monaco – caused by Dunne – he not only lost the overall lead, but was also inundated with a wave of hate messages on social media. The result: a break from social media.
Dunne didn’t let it get him down, regained the Formula 2 lead in Barcelona and made another statement in the first free practice in Spielberg with fourth place and a mature performance in the MCL39.
“That’s motorsport. You can be on a high for a long time – and then one small mistake is enough for everyone to start complaining. When you do something right, suddenly everyone is your best friend,“ says Dunne.
”Social media isn’t the friendliest place, unfortunately. As a driver, you have to ignore it. The people who are loudest there often don’t have any relevant opinions. But I’m glad I was able to make my statement on the track in Barcelona and now in Spielberg.“
”A moment I’ll never forget“
Dunne was well prepared: private tests in the 2023 McLaren and many hours in the simulator ensured he had a solid foundation. Nevertheless, the moment was special: ”When I was standing in the pits at the start of the session, waiting for the lights to turn green – and standing right behind Lewis Hamilton – that was pretty cool,” he grins. “It was a very special moment for me to see all the stands full while I was on the track. I’ll never forget that.”
Despite the leap from Formula 2 to a Formula 1 car, Dunne found the change surprisingly accessible: “To be honest, the step from Formula 2 to Formula 1 for a free practice session wasn’t that difficult. It’s much harder to step back down again. Of course, the driving styles are different, but the enormous grip makes it feel as if the car has unlimited potential.“
His strong performance was also based on good teamwork: ”We tried different things to gather data for Lando. Incidentally, I wasn’t on new soft tires during the qualifying run. McLaren simply prepared me extremely well – through tests, sim sessions, and Lando and Oscar also helped me a bit. It wasn’t about being fast – but I’m glad I was anyway!”
Focus on the Formula 2 title
The close collaboration with McLaren has already helped Dunne make noticeable progress. “The more I was integrated, the more I learned – even before I had driven a Formula 1 car, I noticed how much I had improved after the sim sessions. I’m also working with McLaren on things that help me as a driver in general.”
However, there is currently no direct route to a Formula 1 cockpit: Norris and Piastri are signed up long term, and Dunne is a reserve driver for McLaren in Formula E – but the team is pulling out of the electric series at the end of the season.
Dunne does not want to let that distract him. Although he lost the Formula 2 lead to Richard Verschoor again in Austria after a disqualification, his focus remains clear.
“My future is not in my hands. If I get another chance, I just want to do a good job – and continue to perform well in Formula 2. Hopefully, I can win the title. That’s the only thing I can concentrate on.“
And the big dream remains: ”My goal is and remains Formula 1. If I continue to do a good job, the opportunity may come.”
