Alex Dunne, who stepped in as Lando Norris’s replacement, was disqualified from the Formula 2 feature race at the Austrian Grand Prix after originally delivering a strong performance. The Irish driver impressed on his Formula 1 debut at the Red Bull Ring before facing a setback in the F2 championship weekend. The disqualification followed a technical infringement related to Dunne’s car, impacting his standing in the championship.
During Friday’s Free Practice 1 session at the Austrian GP, 19-year-old Dunne made headlines by finishing fourth fastest in Norris’s McLaren, registering a time just seven-hundredths of a second behind the championship leader Oscar Piastri. Despite this notable debut, Dunne redirected his focus to the F2 races held alongside the F1 event. He finished sixth in Saturday’s unpredictable sprint race and initially secured second place in Sunday’s feature race, which put him briefly atop the F2 drivers’ standings following the Austrian round.
However, the FIA announced that Dunne’s Rodin Motorsport car failed post-race inspection due to the plank underneath the vehicle being thinner than the minimum 4mm thickness specified in the Technical Regulations. This violation resulted in Dunne’s disqualification from the feature race, pushing him down to second place in the championship standings and 24 points behind the leader, Richard Verschoor.
Profile of McLaren Development Driver Alex Dunne
Alex Dunne has been involved in McLaren’s driver development program since 2024 and took on the role of reserve and development driver for McLaren’s Formula E team at the start of the year. The Irish-born racer has established a strong reputation in junior motorsport, having won the British F4 Championship in 2022 and finishing as runner-up in the GB3 championship in 2023.
His success in these foundational series propelled him into the FIA Formula 3 full-time with MP Motorsport in 2024. Although wins eluded him in F3, Dunne’s progression continued as he earned a seat in Formula 2 this season. In F2, he has achieved two feature race wins at Imola and Bahrain, marking him as a promising talent in the feeder series to Formula 1.
Before making his first F1 appearance, Dunne completed private testing sessions in McLaren’s 2023 car and worked extensively with simulators. Andrea Stella, McLaren’s team principal, praised Dunne as “quite diligent and impressive,” reflecting the team’s high regard for the young driver’s potential.
Impact of the Disqualification on the Championship Battle
Dunne’s disqualification dramatically altered the championship dynamics after the Austrian GP. While the initial results had placed him at the summit of the standings, the points loss now leaves him trailing Richard Verschoor by 24 points. This shift increases the pressure on Dunne as he continues to pursue the title in an intensely competitive field.
The incident also serves as a reminder of the stringent technical regulations in motorsport and how even minor deviations can have significant consequences. Dunne’s performances in Austria, both in the F1 debut and the F2 weekend, have nonetheless raised expectations about his future prospects in racing.