George Russell set pace in FP1, as Lewis Hamilton s…read more
The opening practice session of the Austrian Grand Prix turned out to be a significant occasion for McLaren junior driver Alex Dunne, who delivered an eye-catching performance on his Formula 1 debut. Despite the spotlight typically falling on seasoned F1 stars during Free Practice 1 (FP1), it was the young Irishman who commanded much of the attention at the Red Bull Ring.
Currently leading the Formula 2 Championship, Dunne made the step up to Formula 1 for FP1, stepping in for Lando Norris at McLaren. Driving the MCL39, Dunne looked immediately comfortable, showing no signs of nerves or hesitation as he clocked in an outstanding lap time that secured him fourth place by the end of the session. His performance placed him just under a tenth of a second behind his temporary McLaren teammate and current F1 title contender, Oscar Piastri. George Russell of Mercedes topped the timing sheets, but even he was only two-tenths ahead of the 19-year-old debutant.
Dunne’s mature and composed showing instantly raised eyebrows across the paddock. For a driver taking part in his first-ever F1 session, the pace, precision, and consistency he demonstrated was well beyond what many expected. Not only did he manage to avoid errors on a track known for its technical challenges, but he also extracted impressive performance from a car he had never raced before.
While Dunne’s debut was the highlight, the session also saw other young drivers getting opportunities. At Ferrari, Dino Beganovic was given the nod to join Lewis Hamilton in the SF-25, as Charles Leclerc sat out FP1. Beganovic’s appearance came as Ferrari continued its testing programme for new aerodynamic components, including a redesigned floor and an updated diffuser. Hamilton was reportedly eager to evaluate the performance gains from these upgrades, especially with Ferrari aiming to close the performance gap to Red Bull and McLaren.
Speaking of Red Bull, the reigning champions also made notable changes to their floor design, though they kept a relatively low profile during the session. With updates flowing in from multiple teams, the development race appears far from over as the season progresses into its summer stretch.
Despite being fastest in FP1, George Russell’s advantage was minimal, and the tight gaps behind him suggest another closely fought weekend lies ahead. Russell, who has been steadily improving in recent races, appeared confident but cautious, knowing full well that FP1 times can often be misleading when the full picture of race pace and qualifying simulations becomes clear later in the weekend.
Still, the clear standout of the session was Dunne. His ability to slot into a top-tier F1 team and immediately compete with the front-runners has sparked discussions about his future prospects within McLaren and beyond. As Formula 1 continues to look toward the next generation of talent, Dunne’s name is now firmly on the radar, and many will be watching to see how quickly he makes the full-time leap into the sport.
