Alex Dunne fastest in F2 Free Practice ahead of debut drive in McClaren F1 car at Red Bull Ring

F2 World Championship leader Alex Dunne has made the perfect start to what is going to be an incredibly busy day. 

The Offaly driving star was fastest in F2 free practice at the Red Bull Ring in Austria ahead of debut drive in McClaren F1 car at 12.30pm. 

Driving his Roddin Motorsport car, the McLaren Development Driver finished the session strongly and was 0.270 of a second faster than Gabriele Mini with Arvid Linblad a further 0.083 of a second further back. 

F2 qualifying takes place at 2.55pm Irish time but ahead of that Alex Dunne will become the first Irish driver in 22 years to drive an F1 car when he gets behind the wheel of the McLaren F1 car for Free Practice 1 at 12.30pm Irish time. 

He will be driving Lando Norris' car in Spielberg and the action can be watched live on Sky Sports F1. 

Alex will get behind the wheel of the MCL39 as part of his development within the McLaren Racing pipeline, which has an overarching aim to help drivers progress towards Formula 1, IndyCar, and Formula 1, IndyCar, and the team’s upcoming World Endurance Championship entry.

Earlier in the year, McLaren announced that Pato O’Ward will take part in FP1 at the 2025 Mexico City Grand Prix. The team will announce who will drive in the remaining two Free Practice sessions in due course, which will complete the team’s four young driver outings as mandated in the 2025 Sporting Regulations.