Oscar Piastri to Miss Italian GP FP1 as Alex Dunne Steps In for McLaren

Formula 1 championship leader Oscar Piastri will skip Free Practice 1 at the Italian Grand Prix, with McLaren junior Alex Dunne stepping in. This fulfills F1 regulations requiring teams to run rookie drivers.

Why it Matters

F1 mandates four FP1 sessions per season for rookie drivers (fewer than two GP starts). This offers young talents crucial experience and allows teams to evaluate development program drivers, often on familiar tracks like Monza to minimize disruption for regulars.

McLaren's Rookie: Alex Dunne

• Dunne, a McLaren development driver, makes his second FP1 appearance. He previously replaced Lando Norris at the Austrian GP, finishing close to Piastri.
• The 19-year-old Irishman is a British F4 champion and currently a title contender in his maiden F2 season with two feature race wins.
• Dunne expressed excitement: "To do it again in Monza, a track so historic and prestigious, is definitely going to put a very big smile on my face." He hopes to build on his strong Austrian outing.

Alpine's Rookie: Paul Aron

• Paul Aron will also participate in FP1 for Alpine, replacing Franco Colapinto.
• The 21-year-old Estonian, an Alpine reserve driver, finished third in F2 last year and has prior F1 experience from Sauber practice and an Alpine Pirelli test.
• Alpine confirmed they didn't count Jack Doohan's Melbourne entry as a rookie session for fairness. Pierre Gasly still needs to sit out two future sessions to meet regulations.

Outlook

These FP1 sessions provide vital track time for young talents like Dunne and Aron, allowing teams to meet regulatory obligations and assess potential future F1 stars.