GB3 Championship runner-up Alex Dunne completed his first test mileage in a McLaren F1 car at Zandvoort last week, as the young Irishman continues his driver development programme with the reigning constructor's champions.
Dunne, who won five GB3 races in 2023, taking the title fight all the way down to the final day of that year's battle, has been racing under McLaren's tutelage since the start of last year, graduating into F3 before another step up to F2 with Rodin Motorsport in 2025. He is also McLaren's Formula E Reserve and Development Driver.
Last week's Zandvoort test was part of McLaren's testing of previous car (TPC) programme, in the MCL60 machine from the 2023 season. It's understood that Dunne completed over 90 laps of running at the Dutch Grand Prix venue, and that he's potentially in line to make an FP1 appearance during the remainder of the current F1 campaign.
"I've just finished my first F1 test of the MCL60 with McLaren. I'd like to start off by saying a massive, massive thank you to everyone at McLaren and the TPC and Driver Development Programme for giving me this opportunity" Dunne said.
"It's been a little boy's dream come true, so a massive thank you to everyone. I'm really looking forward to hopefully having the opportunity to drive the car again. The focus now is back on F2 for the triple header coming up."
After finishing 14th in his first F3 season last year, including podiums in Spain and Monza, Dunne's F2 graduation has yielded further success, with a stunning victory in Bahrain and a podium in Saudi Arabia putting him fourth in the early standings, with the Imola, Monaco and Barcelona triple header commencing this weekend.