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Ireland is known for rallying with our incredible racers taking over the world.
But we haven’t been able to get a foothold into the world of Formula 1.
Until now…
19-year-old Alex Dunne has been making a name for himself in the world of F1. He is currently racing in the Formula 2 series for McLaren.
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This weekend, he will make history by becoming the first Irish driver to participate in Formula 1 in 22 years.
Ralph Firman was the last Irish person to race in F1 with Jordan back in 2003.
Now Alex will step into a F1 car in McLaren for a free practice session on Friday at the Austrian Grand Prix.
He will take over Lando Norris’ vehicle for an hour long practice after he joined McLaren’s Driver Development Programme in 2024.
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Alex gushed about the opportunity, saying: “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 set-up 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.”
Alex was born on November 11th, 2005 in Offaly and has been karting from a young age. He joined the Formula 4 series at the tender age of 15, which is the youngest age you can join the series.
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He dominated the British F4 series and came second in the Italian F4. He went forward to F3 before McLaren signed him in 2023 and he graduated to F2 where he has been a shining star in the series.
He is currently leading the F2 standings, after two impressive race wins in both Bahrain and Imola, he has also ended up on the podium for two other races.
We’re sure he has his eyes on the prize, landing a permanent seat in Formula 1. It’s a highly competitive sport with only 20 spots for the best drivers in the world. We’re keeping our eyes on Alex for his turn in F1 very soon.