Why it matters
McLaren junior Alex Dunne, a leading F2 contender, has confirmed he will again drive an F1 car during a race weekend in 2025. This comes as he impresses in F2, emerging as a strong 2026 F1 candidate.
The big picture
Dunne, currently fifth in the Formula 2 standings with two wins and four podiums, made his Free Practice 1 debut with McLaren at the Austrian Grand Prix. His strong maiden F2 season has accelerated F1 prospect talks.
What's confirmed
- Dunne stated: "I can say that there is going to be maybe one or two FP1s coming up in the year [2025]."
- Each F1 team must run a rookie driver twice in each of its cars during the 2025 season. Dunne's Austrian GP outing fulfills one such requirement for McLaren.
Looking ahead to 2026
- His primary focus: winning the F2 championship, the best path to F1.
- While McLaren's 2026 seats are secured, Dunne is linked to potential openings elsewhere. Speculation includes partnering Sergio Perez at Cadillac or joining Pierre Gasly at Alpine.
- Silly season also links Isack Hadjar to Red Bull Racing and Yuki Tsunoda to an Aston Martin reserve role.
The bottom line
Dunne's continued involvement in F1 practice sessions highlights his rising profile and ongoing evaluation for a full-time F1 drive.