Rodin Motorsport have confirmed that Alexander Dunne will be returning to race with the team in 2026 – completing their lineup for next year following the announcement of Martinius Stenshorne.
Dunne will be coming back for a second campaign after a strong rookie season in which he achieved two victories, six additional podiums and finished fifth in the Drivers’ Championship.
The Irishman’s record also includes winning the 2022 British F4 Championship, finished second in Italian F4 that same year and in the 2023 GB3 Championship, as well as achieving two podiums in the 2024 Formula 3 season.
Dunne will now return for another season and spoke of his excitement at returning to the track with Rodin in 2026.
I’m really happy to be staying with Rodin for the 2026 season. I’ve built a great relationship with the whole team and the way we work together is really positive. I’m confident that we will be fighting for the title next year. Dunne on the news.
We’re really pleased to have Alex back with the team for a second year. He’s made strong progress throughout this season and we’ve seen real maturity in how he approaches his work both on and off the track. With the experience he’s gained and the continuity we now have, I’m confident he can take another big step forward. It’s great to continue this journey together. Benn Hutingford, Rodin Motorsport Sporting Director.
McLaren have announced that they have ended their contract with Driver Development Programme member Alex Dunne.
Irish racer Dunne – who is currently competing in his debut Formula 2 campaign for Rodin Motorsport – joined McLaren’s programme in May 2024 and went on to participate in two Free Practice 1 sessions for the squad at this year’s Austrian and Italian Grand Prix.
However, McLaren have now confirmed that the partnership has come to an end, with the Woking-based team realising a statement on the news.
Dunne currently sits in fifth place of the Formula 2 Drivers’ Standings with two rounds of the championship remaining.
The 19 year old claimed his debut win in the category with victory at the Sakhir Feature Race in April before following this up with a second triumph at Imola during Round 4.
From today I’ve mutually decided to part ways with the McLaren Driver Development programme. I’d like to thank every individual at McLaren that has helped me develop and improve as a driver, To have my first opportunity to drive an F1 car followed by two FP1 sessions is something I’ll always hold very close to my heart, I wish them all the best for the future. Thank you Papaya family. Still two important rounds left to focus on this year, very excited for what’s to come. Dunne on the news.
Ireland’s Alex Dunne will return to drive for McLaren in first practice at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza on Friday.
Dunne, 19, starred in his debut practice outing earlier this year in Austria when he was fourth in the session and within one tenth of Oscar Piastri in equal machinery.
The teenager was the first Irish driver to compete in an F1 weekend in 22 years and will also continue his Formula 2 campaign in Monza, where he is fifth in the standings.
All 10 Formula 1 teams must run a rookie in at least four practice sessions this season. McLaren have already announced IndyCar star Pato O’Ward will get an outing at his home event in Mexico City in October and are likely to complete the rookie requirements in Abu Dhabi with a driver yet to be confirmed.
The NEOM McLaren Formula E Team confirms that Alex Dunne will be taking part in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship Berlin E-Prix Rookie Test on the 14th July, alongside fellow McLaren Driver Development member, Ella Lloyd.
Dunne, from Ireland, made his single seater racing debut in 2021, competing in the Spanish F4 Championship and finishing third in his first race. After moving to Formula 4, Alex continued to deliver impressive results, becoming the 2022 British F4 Champion as well as the Italian F4 vice-champion.
In 2023, Alex’s campaign saw him finish second in the GB3 Championship with five victories and eight podiums across the season. In the same year, he also made his Macau Grand Prix debut, finishing second in qualifying.
Alex raced with MP Motorsport in the 2024 FIA Formula 3 Championship, scoring two podiums and a further seven top 10 finishes.
Alongside his duties as reserve and development driver, Alex currently competes in Formula 2, where he sits second in the Championship and has 2 wins to his name already this season.
I’m very excited to be getting another opportunity in the GEN3 Evo at the Berlin Rookie Test next month. Since I joined the team as Reserve and Development Driver, I’ve learnt so much about what it takes to get the maximum out of these cars, and I can’t wait to get out on track again. Dunne on the news.
Having already played a crucial role in supporting the team this season as our Reserve and Development Driver, I’m very pleased that Alex will have another opportunity behind the wheel of the GEN3 Evo at the Berlin Rookie Test. Alex has shown to have great pace and skill in Formula 2 this season, and I hope he will take this confidence with him to make the most of this outing in Berlin. Ian James, Team Principal of NEOM McLaren Formula E Team.
McLaren have confirmed that Formula 2 standings leader, Alex Dunne will take part in Free Practice 1 at the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix.
Dunne, a member of the McLaren Driver Development Programme since May 2024, will get behind the wheel of the MCL39 in the weekend’s opening session in place of Lando Norris, in which he becomes the first Irish driver to take part in an F1 weekend for 22 years.
The 19 year old currently races for Rodin Motorsport in F2, as he sits three points ahead of second placed Richard Verschoor in the standings, while he also serves as Reserve and Development Driver for the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team.
Dunne began karting at eight years old, and secured his first European karting title in the 2019 WSK Champions Cup OKJ Category. He then made his single-seater debut in the 2021 Spanish F4 Championship, securing pole position and a podium on his debut.
In his 2022 season, he picked up a combined 16 race wins whilst competing in the British, UAE and Italian Formula 4 Championships, earning him the British F4 Championship, before going on to earn the vice-champion title in the GB3 Championship the following year.
Dunne then moved onto Formula 3 for 2024 with MP Motorsport, where he finished 14th in the Drivers’ Standings, before stepping up to F2 this season.
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 [Brown], Andrea [Stella] and Alessandro [Alunni Bravi] 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. Dunne on the news.
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. 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. McLaren Team Principal, Andrea Stella.
Victor Martins was in a class of one on the opening day of running in Monte Carlo, logging a 1:21.715 to lead the way for ART Grand Prix.
The Frenchman was the only driver in the 1:21s in Practice, as Luke Browning and Leonardo Fornaroli followed in second and third places for Hitech TGR and Invicta Racing respectively.
With the first round of laps on the board, Championship leader Alexander Dunne set the pace on 1:25.666 for Rodin Motorsport.
Sami Meguetounif settled into second less than a tenth behind in the #22 Trident, with Gabriele Mini third for PREMA with 10 minutes gone.
Jak Crawford and then Martins brought the time to beat down, the ART driver took over P1 with a 1:24.014. The Frenchman then improved to go six-tenths clear, putting in a 1:23.230 on his next attempt.
Martins continued to fly, with the Williams Racing Academy talent improving onto a 1:22.623, with fellow Williams junior Browning in P2.
There was a brief lull as drivers returned to the pitlane for a fresh set of tyres before the final 15 minute spell of on-track running.
With Supersoft tyres fitted, Mini looked set to go quickest but a Red Flag was thrown after Amaury Cordeel nosed his Rodin Motorsport car into the Turn 1 barriers.
He was out of the car and the Rodin was recovered , leaving seven minutes of Free Practice left to run as things went back to green flag conditions.
There were several late improvements, with Mini resuming from where he left off prior to the temporary stoppage as he went quickest of all.
That was until Martins completed his Supersoft lap to go 0.7s clear of the pack with the fastest time of time of the day.
Browning and Fornaroli found a late improvement to go second and third quickest, splitting Martins and dropping Mini to fourth.
Day 2-
The even numbered cars kicked off the first segment and with warm up laps completed, Martins picked up his pace immediately to put in a 1:21.792 for the top spot by over a second.
Arvid Lindblad cut that gap down to just under three-tenths on his first effort for Campos Racing, going to second.
Into the final five minutes and Lindblad became the first driver to displace Martins from the top spot, going to provisional pole momentarily until Richard Verschoor secured P1 with a 1:21.520.
Martins had to abandon his second attempt after cutting the Nouvelle Chicane, but he moved back to provisional pole after a cool down lap, setting a 1:21.145.
On to the final attempts, Martins couldn’t improve but he had done enough to retain the top sport in Group A, finishing up 0.375s ahead of Verschoor in P2.
With the target set, the odd numbered cars followed out of the pitlane, and just as the first flying laps were set to get underway, the red flags were waving.
Rafael Villagomez found the barriers at the final corner after a squabble for track position with Alexander Dunne.
Once the Van Amersfoort Racing car was recovered, the stewards confirmed the incident would be investigated after the session.
Preparation laps complete, Dunne set the pace with a 1:21.781 to go to P1 ahead of Leonardo Fornaroli of Invicta Racing.
As the session ticked into the final three minutes, the next set of laps arrived and the Championship leader improved onto a 1:21.437. Sebastian Montoya found more time also.
With less than a minute to go, Dunne found a session-best first and second sector time and a final sector good enough to set a 1:21.142.
Fornaroli improved to second position, but third placed driver Montoya spun to bring out the yellow flags in the final sector.
The full top 10 overall is- P1: Dunne, P2: Martins, P3: Fornaroli, P4: Verschoor, P5: Montoya, P6: Lindblad, P7: Crawford, P8: Mini, P9: Browning and P10: Maini.
Alexander Dunne started the Imola weekend on the front foot, topping Free Practice for Rodin Motorsport on a 1:27.907. Campos Racing’s Arvid Lindblad followed the Irish driver, just 0.009s down in P2, while DAMS Lucas Oil’s Kush Maini completed the top three.
Gabriele Mini led the pack after the opening 10 minutes of running and initial laps, a 1:30.416 put the Prema driver top of the pile just 0.07s ahead of Victor Martins in P2.
Lindblad was the next to deliver a substantial improvement as the Red Bull Junior lowered the time to beat down to a 1:29.031.
Times continued to tumble as the track improved, and the drivers continued to push on. Mini re-took top spot on his next attempt with a 1:28.526 while Dunne put Rodin second in the order.
Martins then put ART Grand Prix on top, going 0.027s quicker than Mini’s earlier lap to leave the four separated by just 0.060s as Luke Browning went fourth for Hitech TGR.
DAMS’ Maini had been P2 by just 0.027s but he found a sizeable improvement on his next attempt to go quickest, 1:28.022 the new benchmark effort.
Lindblad was the first into the 1:27s to re-take P1 for Campos. Rodin were back on top entering the final five minutes as Dunne pipped Lindblad by just 0.009s for top spot as the session wound down to a close.
Qualifing-
Dino Beganovic times his qualifying lap perfectly to beat the red flags and the rest of the field to earn his first pole position in Formula 2.
The Hitech TGR driver logged a 1:24.418 to lead PREMA Racing’s Sebastian Montoya and ART Grand Prix driver Victor Martins, with the top three separated by just 0.006s.
Arvid Lindblad got the ball rolling with a 1:28.175 to lead the pack but he was pipped by Martins and Alexander Dunne in short order, the Irishman continuing from where he was in practice.
The Rodin driver’s 1:27.827 was later beaten by Lindblad who moved back up to the top by going, 0.012s quicker on his next attempt.
After a brief spell back in the pitlane, drivers returned to the track with 10 minutes to go in the session and conditions improving.
Montoya hit the front next for PREMA, but his time was bettered by Beganovic by just 0.003s. The Swede got his 1:27.418 in just before the red flags were waving.
Kush Maini suffered a spin into the barriers at Taburello, with the clear up of the DAMS car not being able to be completed in time, the session was not resumed.
Day 2-
Pole sitter Ritomo Miyata lost the lead to Crawford at lights out on the run to Turn 2. Lindblad surged up to P3 from fifth on the grid ahead of Browning and Victor Martins in the top five, after the ART Grand Prix driver moved up from eighth.
By Lap 4, Crawford had managed to escape out of DRS range to Miyata behind, while despite having DRS to the car ahead, Lindblad couldn’t close in on the ART in front of him.
Browning managed to break away from Martins, leaving Miyata to fend off the British duo behind him in the fight for second, with Crawford building his lead back up to beyond a second by Lap 10.
Lindblad attempted to dive to the inside of Turn 2 on Lap 11, but Miyata defended well to retain second position. One lap later and the Red Bull Junior made the pass stick, clearing the ART before corner entry at Tamburello.
Lap 13 and Miyata had to defend from Browning to keep hold of third into the favoured passing area at Turn 2.
Hitech TGR’s Dino Beganovic looked to be lining up a move on Joshua Duerksen for the final points paying position, but a wide moment out of Variante Alta allowed Roman Stanek to go through for P9.
Browning finally cleared Miyata on Lap 14 into the second corner, with the Japanese driver losing the benefit of DRS. One lap later and it was Martins through on teammate Miyata into Turn 2 for fourth.
Stanek’s charge continued as he managed to commit to the outside of Duerksen at the second corner to take P8 from the AIX Racing driver.
Alexander Dunne had told the team he was playing the long game earlier in the race, and he moved into the top five with a pass on Miyata along the main straight.
Leonardo Fornaroli had to defend seventh from Invicta Racing teammate Stanek at Turn 2 as the Czech driver applied the pressure with six laps to go.
Lap 22 of 25 and Dunne managed to claw his way to within a second of Martins ahead, who in turn was catching Browning in the fight for the final podium position.
The trio were covered by 1.5s entering the penultimate lap, while in front of them, Lindblad had closed in on the race leader and was on the cusp of DRS to the DAMS driver.
Unfortunately for the Campos rookie, they entered the final lap separated by 1.2s and the American driver held on for his first win of the 2025 season.
Day 3-
Prior to lights out, Sebastian Montoya stalled on the grid at the beginning of the Formation Lap. It meant P2 was vacated as the PREMA Racing driver was forced to start from the pitlane.
Beganovic aced his launch at the race start, but it was Leonardo Fornaroli on the move, climbing to P2 as Victor Martins was the second staller of the day, the ART Grand Prix driver left stranded on the grid. Arvid Lindblad capitalised also, taking third ahead of Dunne having started behind the Rodin driver.
With DRS enabled, the top three closed back up and by Lap 6, Beganovic, Fornaroli and Lindblad were covered by less than a second.
The top four were in at the first opportunity to fit the soft tyres entering Lap 7. Fornaroli lost out in the pitstops, dropping to the back of the quartet, while Dunne gained two places, coming back out behind Beganovic.
Jak Crawford and Luke Browning responded on the following lap, pitting to fit the red-walled tyres and the Brit got the jump on the DAMS Lucas Oil driver to come out ahead.
The Hitech TGR driver rejoined with the effective race lead and right in front of teammate Beganovic, who had Dunne on his rear wing. The Swede attempted to go around the outside of Browning at Tosa, but ran out of room on corner exit, allowing Dunne to split the Hitechs and move up a position.
With DRS on Lap 9, Dunne made the move into Turn 2, clearing Browning into the first chicane to take effective race lead.
The early pitstops handed P1 over to Josep Maria Marti, who was fighting with AIX Racing’s Joshua Duerksen as the leading pair on the alternative strategy.
Lap 14 and Duerksen swept around the outside of the Spaniard to take the lead just before a Safety Car was deployed. Rafael Villagomez was left stranded at Turn 4 having sustained damage in a battle with Sami Meguetounif.
Gabriele Mini and John Bennett took the chance to make their mandatory stops and switch to the supersoft Pirelli tyres. The PREMA driver came out ahead of Lindblad in P11, with Bennett joining the queue just behind Crawford in P15.
The Safety Car was withdrawn entering Lap 19 and Duerksen held onto the lead. Behind them, Dunne was on the move immediately to pass the first of the leading pack yet to pit in Max Esterson.
Browning, made the pass into Piratella, but Dunne was through on teammate Amaury Cordeel at Turn 2 but once again, Dunne immediately put another car between them, passing Miyata into Tosa with a dive down the inside.
Lap 25 and Dunne was up another position, clearing Roman Stanek into the first chicane to move up to third on the road. The Rodin driver then cleared Marti on Lap 26 with the same move at Tosa to take second and he quickly closed on race leader Duerksen.
Across the line onto Lap 27, he used DRS to move into P1, with Browning still running fifth behind those yet to pit on the alternative strategy.
Browning moved up to fourth with a pass on Stanek at Turn 2 on lap 29, with teammate Beganovic passing Cordeel in the same place just behind. Lindblad was able to pounce on an error at Tosa by the Rodin driver to take seventh on the road later in the lap.
Duerksen pitted on lap 30, and Browning passed Marti at the first chicane to move up to second, but Dunne had escaped up the road to the tune of five seconds. The Irish driver had things under control and by the chequered flag, crossed the line to win his second Feature Race of the season by over six seconds to Browning and Beganovic.
The full top 10 are- P1: Dunne, P2: Browning, P3: Beganovic, P4: Lindblad, P5: Fornaroli, P6: Crawford, P7: Goethe, P8: Montoya, P9: Verschoor and P10: Meguetounif.
Pole-sitter Duerksen got the start he needed to retain the lead, but Victor Martins was squeezed on the approach to Turn 1. He was off the road into the polystyrene boards, leaving him with front wing damage and at the back.
Sebastian Montoya’s race was also over early as he was pointed the wrong way and out of the running on the opening lap. That brought out the Safety Car as his PREMA Racing car was recovered and Turn 1 was cleared up.
The Safety Car was in at the end of the lap and Duerksen retained the lead ahead of Beganovic and Rafael Villagomez. Verschoor had closed to within DRS range of Villagomez ahead and with a switchback out of Turn 4, seized third position on Lap 10.
Up Ahead, the leading pair of Duerksen and Beganovic were three seconds clear of the pack, but the Swede was sticking with the race leader closely. Onto Lap 11 and with DRS up the hill to Turn 4, Beganovic moved to the inside and claimed the race lead.
As many settled into tyre preservation mode, Dunne was on the move again with a dive at Turn 1, passing Villagomez for fourth on lap 13.
The Safety Car was back out on lap 16 after Max Esterson came to a stop in his Trident car. It brought several drivers into the pit lane for a stop.
Back to racing conditions on Lap 19, Beganovic ran slightly wide at the final corner, inviting pressure from Duerksen behind. The Paraguyan re-took the top spot at Turn 1 while behind them, a four car scrap for third went the way of Verschoor, but Marti was able to pass Dunne for fourth a few corners later.
The Rodin driver made slight contact with Browning and fell behind the Hitech TGR driver on Lap 20. An attempt to re-pass Browning at the first opportunity into Turn 8 opened the door for Arvid Lindblad to take seventh from the Irishman on corner exit.
Lap 22 of 23 and Beganovic drew alongside Duerksen, but he couldn’t make the pass stick at Turn 4. That gave Verschoor the chance to take second, but Marti got the switchback on both of them out of Turn 8 to seize second for himself.
On the final lap and Marti’s charge continued and with DRS he claimed the lead into Turn 1. The AIX driver couldn’t fight back and had to defend from Verschoor, but his running wide at Turn 11 allowed the MP driver to gain second just a handful of corners from the finish.
Marti earned his first win of the year in some style, ahead of Verschoor and Duerksen. However, after the race Duerksen was disqualified as he breached the Technical Regulations. It promotes everyone up one position, with Dino Beganovic taking the final podium position.
Day 3-
Fornaroli aced his start but wheelspin for Martins dropped him down to seventh by Turn 1. Dunne seized second ahead of Roman Stanek and Rafael Villagomez. The Mexican driver was able to sneak his way by for third at Turn 10, while Josep Maria Marti had charged up to fifth from P11 on the grid on soft Pirelli tyres.
Those running in the top eight were all fitted with the softer compound, Joshua Duerksen in P9 leading those on the white-walled hard tyres on the alternative strategy. That was until lap 5 when Luke Browning took ninth from the AIX Racing driver out of Turn 4.
After Marti had passed Stanek, Martins was on the move up ahead, taking fifth from the Czech driver at the Turn 8 hairpin.
Having trailed by over a second in the early laps, Dunne closed to within DRS range of race leader Fornaroli approaching the pit window opening, half a second back in P2.
With DRS on Lap 7, Dunne took the lead of the race into Turn 1 from Fornaroli, who’d reported his tyres were beginning to fall away from him. Marti mirrored that move for third position a few metres behind the leading pair, while Martins took advantage himself, getting the run into Turn 4 to take fourth from Villagomez.
Lap 10 and Stanek was able to re-pass Villagomez with DRS into Turn 4 to move himself back into the top five.
Martins was the first of the leaders to pit for hard compounds tyres, rejoining in P17. Stanek, Browning and Duerksen were all in on the following lap for their pitstops, coming back out behind Martins but ahead of Verschoor.
Fornaroli and Marti pitted at the start of Lap 16 for their mandatory stops, and left as they entered, rejoining the track between seventh placed Martins and Browning in P10.
Browning was the lead driver on Softs and moved himself up to fourth at Turn 4 with a pass on Martin on Lap 18. The Hitech driver’s charge continued, and he was onto the back of Fornaroli on lap 21. He used DRS to take third down the main straight to maintain his progress up the order.
Martins wasn’t able to repel his fellow Williams Racing Driver Development talent as on Lap 23, the Brit took second from the ART driver wit DRS into Turn 1.
Browning’s progress stalled out however, as the leader extended his advantage in the following phase of the race to over six seconds.
Fornaroli’s hopes of a podium weren’t over, as he was able to close in on Martins in third, He was told his pace through the last corner was a strength and he used it to good effect to get a run on Martins to take the place with five laps to go.
One lap later and Marti was through on the Frenchman and into fourth with a 1.4s deficit to Fornaroli ahead. He cut into DRS range entering the final lap and with DRS into Turn 4, Marti had the momentum but some stout defence by Fornaroli kept the Italian ahead.
Neither could catch Dunner though, who earned his maiden F2 win by over eight seconds from Browning!
The full top 10 are- P1: Dunne, P2: Browning, P3: Fornaroli, P4: Marti, P5: Martins, P6: Verschoor, P7: Beganovic, P8: Lindblad, P9: Mini and P10: Duerksen.
Rodin Motorsport have finalised their line-up for the upcoming Formula 2 season with Alexander Dunne set to race alongside Christian Mansell for them in 2025.
Dunne steps up to F2 after a rookie year in Formula 3 which he achieved two podiums, coming in the Barcelona and Monza Sprint Races, going on to finish 14th in the Drivers’ Championship.
Prior to that, the McLaren Development Driver Programme member won the 2022 British F4 title and also finished as runner-up in Italian F4 that year and in the 2023 GB3 Championship.
The Irishman will now be moving up to Formula 2 with Rodin Motorsport in 2025 having driven for the team on all three days of post-season testing in Abu Dhabi last year.
I’m pleased to be able to confirm my plans for the 2025 season, which will see me joining Rodin Motorsport and participating in Formula 2. I’m looking forward to the upcoming season and thankful for everyone’s support in getting me to this stage – I can’t wait to hit the ground running. Dunne on the news.
We are delighted to welcome Alex to Rodin Motorsport. Alex’s talent, dedication, and passion for racing align perfectly with our team’s values and ambitions. We are confident that he will make a significant impact in the upcoming season and know that he is capable of enjoying a really great season with the team. Benn Huntingford, Rodin Motorsport Sporting Director and Team Manager.
NEOM McLaren have confirmed Alex Dunne for the Jeddah Rookie Free Practice session, ahead of the 2025 Jeddah E-Prix.
Dunne, from Ireland, made his single-seater racing debut in 2021, competing in the Spanish F4 Championship and finishing third in his first race. After moving to Formula 4, Alex continued to deliver impressive results, becoming the 2022 British F4 Champion as well as the Italian F4 vice-champion.
Dunne’s 2023 campaign saw his finish second in the GB3 Championship with five victories and eight podiums across the season. In the same year he also made his Macau Grand Prix debut, finishing second in the qualifying race.
Since then, as well as joining the McLaren Driver Development programme, he raced with MP Motorsport in the 2024 FIA Formula 3 Championship, scoring two podiums and a further seven top 10 finishes. Dunne’s 2025 race programme, which he will contest alongside his Formula E duties, he is taking a step up to FIA Formula 2 for 2025 with Rodin Motorsport.
I’m looking forward to getting my first chance to drive the GEN3 Evo for the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team next week in Jeddah. To have this opportunity through the McLaren Driver Development programme feels incredible, and I’m so grateful to the team for putting their trust in me. I’ve been working hard in the simulator and with the team to prepare for this test, and I can’t wait to get out to Jeddah. Dunne on the news.
I’m very pleased that Alex will have the chance to test with the team at next week’s Rookie Free Practice Session. As our Reserve and Development Driver, Alex has already been playing a key role within the team and has been supporting us through his work in the simulator. Throughout his junior career, Alex has shown great promise, and I know he’ll make the most of this opportunity. Ian James, Team Principal.
NEOM McLaren has signed Alex Dunne as the team’s Reserve and Development Driver for the 2024/25 season of the FIA ABB Formula E World Championship.
In his role, Dunne will work directly with the team in Bicester and Woking, contributing to the team’s development, while growing his knowledge and experience within the series. Alex has been part of the McLaren Racing family since May 2024 when he joined the Driver Development programme.
Dunne from Ireland, began his racing career at eight years old, before securing his first European karting title in 2019. In 2021, he made his single-seater debut competing in the 2021 Spanish F4 Championship, and securing a combined 16 race wins across the British, UAE and Italian Formula 4 Championships while racing for Hitech Grand Prix and US Racing.
Dunne was crowned the 2022 British F4 Champion as well as the Italian F4 Championship runner-up.
In 2023, Dunne was runner-up in the GB3 Championship with five victories and eight podiums. Last season he competed in the FIA Formula 3 Championship with MP Motorsport while continuing his development with the support of the McLaren Driver Development programme.
I’m excited to be joining the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team as Reserve and Development Driver. Working with NEOM McLaren as part of my experience in the McLaren Driver Development programme is an excellent opportunity to hone my skills. I’m looking forward to doing what I can to support the team and learn as much as possible. Alex Dunne on the news.
I am delighted to welcome Alex to the team as the team’s Reserve and Development Driver. Alex is an up-and-coming talent in single seater motorsport and has been part of the McLaren Driver Development programme since last season, through which we have been able to follow his progress and development. The team are looking forward to working with him in 2025. Alex will play an important role within our team, adding value to the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team with his drive and talent, while also gaining experience himself along the way. Ian James, Team Principal.
McLaren have announced that two more drivers are joining their development programme – Alex Dunne and Martinius Stenshorne. Both currently race in Formula 3, Dunne for MP Motorsport and Stenshorne for Hitech Pulse-Eight.
Dunne impressed McLaren when he won the 2022 British F4 Championship with Hitech Grand Prix, with the 18 year old from Ireland also put in an eye-catching performance in Bahrain earlier this year securing his first F3 points.
Norwegian Stenshorne comes for a rallying background and was a prolific karter in his junior days, and has already tasted victory in F3 with a Sprint race win in Australia.
McLaren’s Driver Development programme was established in 2022, and funnels young talent towards F1, Formula E and IndyCar.
McLaren have a history of developing and promoting young talent – notably very happy to advance both Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris to F1, with both drivers going straight into the sharp end of the grid.
We’re pleased to announce that Alex and Martinius have joined our Driver Development programme. They are both exciting and promising young talents within motorsport, with proven records on track in their respective junior categories including this season’s FIA Formula 3 Championship. The entire team is looking forward to welcoming Alex and Martinius to the McLaren family and we’ll be working closely to support their development within our talent pipeline. Stephanie Carlin, Director of F1 Business Operations – who runs the junior programme.
It’s an honour to join the McLaren Driver Development programme. I’m looking forward to getting started with the team. McLaren provides the perfect environment for me to develop my skillset as I continue my journey in motorsport. I’m grateful for Zak [Brown] and Stephanie’s support and I’m excited to meet the rest of the team at MTC. Dunne on the news.
I’m incredibly excited to join the McLaren Driver Development programme, it’s an honour to now be part of the McLaren family. The team has a great history of developing talent, so I’m looking forward to growing with the team and learning from their expertise as I continue on my journey towards the top of motorsport. Thank you to Zak, Stephanie and the entire team for their faith in me, I can’t wait to get started. Stenshorne adding to the news.
MP Motorsport have confirmed that Alex Dunne will join the team for the 2024 FIA Formula 3 campaign. The Irishman finished second in the 2023 GB3 Championship and took part in post-season F3 testing with Hitech Pulse-Eight.
Dunne claimed five race victories during the GB3 campaign, falling just short of taking the title in what was his rookie season in the series.
Prior, to GB3, Dunne made his single seater racing debut in 2021, taking part in partial Spanish and ADAC F4 Championship campaigns. He took three poles, three fastest laps and three podiums across both series’.
In 2022, he competed in a trio of F4 Championships, winning the British F4 title and also winning races in the UAE and Italian Championships with multiple race wins across the trio. His 11 wins, poles and 17 podiums in British F4 gave him his first ever single seater title while 11 trips to the rostrum and three victories in the Italian series put him runner-up in the standings.
Dunne also topped the final Formula 3 test of 2023 around a rainy Imola circuit in what was his first taste of F3 action.
I’m thrilled to start my first full season of FIA F3 with MP Motorsport. They are proven winners in every category that they compete in, and I’m sure that they will use their experience to help me build on my initial experiences with the F3 car in the post-season FIA F3 test at Imola and then at Macau. I will be up against the best drivers at this level of single-seater racing, but that’s what I’m here for. I relish the challenge ahead and can’t wait to get started!
Dunne on the news.
We are truly excited to welcome Alex to our FIA F3 team. He has had an outstanding year in GB3 and then, fresh into an FIA F3 car, proved his innate pace at Imola and Macau. His Macau performance in particular was hard to overlook, so we were happy to pounce and snap him up for our final FIA F3 seat. Along with Tim and Kacper, we will have three very quick young drivers all eager to prove their point. I’m confident that they will all shine in their debut seasons.
Jordan's Track Talk 