Alex Dunne will make his Formula 1 bow with McLaren in FP1 for the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend, with Dino Beganovic making an appearance for Ferrari.
The 19-year-old Irishman, who is part of the Woking-based squad’s Driver Development Programme, is currently top of the Formula 2 standings.
Beganovic will make his second practice appearance of the year, having taken the reins of the SF-25 in Bahrain. He will take the place of Charles Leclerc for the session at the Red Bull ring.
It will be another exciting opportunity for Dunne, who is also set for a second outing for McLaren’s Formula E team next month, having been anounced as one of two drivers for its rookie test in Berlin.
In a statement, Dunne said: “It’s an amazing opportunity to be able to drive during FP1 in Austria. I’m really looking forward to getting laps in behind the wheel of the MCL39 and supporting the team with the setup for the race weekend ahead.
“I’ve been preparing well for the sessions, taking part in Testing of Previous Cars tests in the MCL60 and spending time on the simulator, which has been a fantastic learning experience.
“Thank you to Zak, Andrea and Alessandro for their faith in me. It’s a great step within my development with the McLaren Driver Development Programme, and I’m really excited to join the team trackside.”
“It’s great to be able to give Alex the opportunity to run in Free Practice 1, and for him to get valuable time behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car as part of his development,” said Team Principal Andrea Stella.
“The team are pleased to be working with him more closely, and for his support across the weekend, where he will be providing useful feedback to help with the car’s set-up. The rookie sessions are fantastic for seeing the talent of tomorrow and enabling that rare chance to get time in a current car, so we look forward to seeing him on track.”
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