McLaren have confirmed that Formula 2 junior Alex Dunne will take the wheel for the team in the opening practice session at this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.
Runaway championship leader Oscar Piastri will be sitting out the one-hour session.
The race at Monza, the final European round of the Formula One season, will provide Dunne with his second FP1 appearance of the year after making his debut at the Austrian Grand Prix earlier in the campaign.
The Irishman, who joined the McLaren Driver Development Programme in 2024, has been steadily building experience within the organisation, also serving as a reserve driver for their Formula E operation.
Driving Piastri’s car on Friday, Dunne will have the opportunity to further showcase his talent on one of the sport’s most historic and demanding circuits, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
For McLaren, the session forms part of their commitment to providing valuable track time to young drivers progressing through their ranks.
“I’m super excited to be back in the MCL39 for my second FP1 with McLaren. My first session in Austria was an extremely special day for me, but I think to do it again in Monza, which is a historic and prestigious track, is definitely going to put a very big smile on my face,” said Dunne.
“I’m looking forward to building and improving on what was already a strong outing in Austria and helping Lando and Oscar as much as possible going into their weekend.”
While Piastri’s commanding position in the drivers’ standings allows McLaren some flexibility with practice sessions, the team will be closely monitoring Dunne’s performance as they continue to shape their future driver line-up.
