McLaren’s next F1 star? Alex Dunne sets his sights on ‘dream’ of following in Ayrton Senna’s footsteps

Alex Dunne is one of McLaren’s hottest junior prospects, racing for MP Motorsport in F3 in 2024.

One of McLaren’s hottest junior prospects is rising star Alex Dunne, who has climbed into F3 this season after a strong 2023 campaign.

McLaren recently confirmed the signing of two new drivers to its junior ranks, with Martinius Stenshorne and Alex Dunne added to its roster of drivers aiming to reach Formula 1. Dunne, an 18-year-old Irishman from Offaly caught the eye of the world with a stunning performance at Macau at the end of 2023.

Alex Dunne: Macau was the turning point for me to join McLaren

It’s not the first time I’ve sat down with Alex Dunne, an F1 hopeful and a rising star in Formula 3, but the young man carries himself with noticeably more confidence and self-assurance than he did the last time we met.

It’s been quite the whirlwind for Dunne since we last spoke, securing his climb into F3 off the back of a great weekend at Macau with Hitech, and finishing runner-up in the GB3 championship after winning five races from 24.

Last summer, I interviewed him at a windy and bleak Mondello Park in Ireland while he was in the midst of that successful GB3 campaign with Hitech, in which he spoke of his hopes of joining an F1 team’s junior programme to help his career progress further.

Almost 12 months on, that hope has become reality – Dunne is now one of McLaren’s leading lights, just a rung below Gabriel Bartoleto as he and Stenshorne are lined up as part of McLaren’s succession plan.

Dunne is thus perfectly positioned to establish himself at McLaren, being offered the same opportunities that Lando Norris grabbed onto so successfully over half a decade ago, and the Irish driver is understandably excited about this possibility as we sat down together for a chat following his signing by the Woking-based squad.

“It’s probably a lot of people’s dream to be a part of McLaren,” he told PlanetF1.com when I ask him about how significant a step this is in his career.

“Growing up as a kid looking at motorsport, watching Ayrton Senna race and seeing how prestigious and how historic McLaren was as a team back in my early days, and also how much they’re improving at the moment as well – when I heard there was a possibility of being a part of McLaren, it was a big thing for me. It’s something that I really appreciated to have the opportunity to do.”

Referring back to our previous interview, in which he’d spoken about the prospect of joining an F1 team’s roster, he explains the timeline of when McLaren came knocking.

“My dad [former Irish Formula Ford 1600 champion Noel Dunne] dealt with most of it, but he told me about it at the end of last year, the beginning of this year, that they were interested in me and there was a possibility of it happening.

“Then he told me that they wanted to move ahead with it and that they were interested in me!

“I think the turning point really, for their extra bit of interest in me, was probably Macau.

“Yes, the 2023 season was strong, but I think the biggest thing for me was getting the chance to go to European racing against all the drivers that have been racing in F3 last season and then, to perform and finish at the front, I think that was the biggest thing for me that pushed it across the line.”

It was the Macau event that propelled Dunne into the limelight, in what was a rollercoaster 48 hours for the Irishman. Getting the call-up from Hitech Pulse-Eight to compete against far more seasoned F3 drivers, Dunne caused a stir by securing sixth on the grid before racing to second behind Luke Browning in the qualifying race.

With anticipation rising for the main race, his inexperience finally made itself known as he crashed out on the opening lap – a heartbreaking end as a potential podium finish went begging. But the potential was spotted, resulting in McLaren confirming their desire to sign him to their books.

“I would say Macau had more than probably 50 per cent of [that decision],” Dunne said.

“When I had the opportunity to race at Macau, which is probably one of the biggest races a driver in the F3 level could ever do, against some of the best junior category drivers in the world as well…

“When I got that opportunity to perform again at a big level, similar to what I did in F4 in 2022, when I was racing at a European level when I got the chance to do that, to show that I’ve still got it, because I spent a little bit of time away from racing in Europe. So I think when I got that chance again, that was quite a big thing.

“To be honest, going into the weekend, I didn’t really have a whole lot of expectation because it was my first race in F3 and my first time on a street circuit.

“I didn’t really know what to expect but, in the end, I managed to perform quite well. It was a kind of quite a big turning point for me, to be honest.”

With Macau a well-known race on the international stage, often serving as the first time many legendary drivers have made their presence felt, was Dunne daunted by the prospect of heading east – with no experience – to take on the best F3 had to offer?

“I don’t know if I would say I was daunted but, definitely, I would say I was probably a bit more on the nervous side of things. When we found out, I didn’t really know what to expect,” he said.

“I thought ‘Wow, this is going to be an amazing opportunity but also very difficult’.

“I know how good the drivers are, it’s a difficult track, F3 is a very difficult category. OK, I believe in my abilities and my talent, but how far can that bring you in a category on a track that you’ve never really experienced before?

“So, of course, I believe in myself but I didn’t know what to expect. But I just took it lap by lap, tried to build into it, and realised pretty early on that the pace was not bad at all. In the end, it ended up being a very strong weekend.”

What are Alex Dunne’s targets with McLaren?

Now under the wing of McLaren, Dunne has nowhere to hide as he’s expected to continue his upward momentum – having already reached the age at which he is eligible for a super licence, the pressure is on to learn as quickly as possible to make the steps drivers like Kimi Antonelli have shown are possible when an F1 team truly believes in them.

“I’ve been to the McLaren Technology Centre twice now,” Dunne replies, when I ask how his first weeks with McLaren have played out as he’s got his feet under the table.

“It’s pretty crazy, I’ve never seen anything like that before. The facilities they have pretty much for two cars, everything they have there is unbelievable, some of the greatest facilities I’ve ever seen. To be a part of that and have access to that to try and learn and grow as a driver is quite a big thing and something I’m really proud to be a part of.”

As for what training McLaren will provide, and the expertise that the team will pass on to him, Dunne said it’s too early to offer a full description but said, “Obviously, you have the standard stuff that you would expect… nutrition, fitness, the simulator – the stuff you would expect with it with a programme which, of course, will help.

“I’ve also had some media training with them, I had some people from McLaren with me at Imola as well so I spent a bit of time with a few of the people there to learn some things so I’m learning already!”

Alex Dunne steps up to Formula 3 with MP Motorsport

It’s been a mixed bag of results for Dunne since Macau, having used his performance to springboard his way into a seat with MP Motorsport. Points have come in Bahrain and Australia, while a technical infringement with his anti-roll bar links at Imola resulted in a weekend-destroying disqualification from qualifying.

Caught up in the first-lap collision in the Monaco Sprint race on what was his first visit to the Principality, he turned a 26th-place grid slot into 16th in the Feature race. But 16th places aren’t what Dunne is aiming for as he intends to impress McLaren to convince the team he has what it takes to succeed at the top level.

“The targets I would have are the standard ones you’d have as a racing driver, to be honest, to do as well as possible,” he said when I asked what he’s aiming for this year.

“I think the first few rounds were a bit tricky but, at Imola, we improved a lot – the pace was good until the unfortunate penalty that we had but I wouldn’t say I have any set targets right now.”

How easy has Dunne found the transition from the British GB3 series as he’s stepped up into F3?

“I would say it’s not a massive step,” he said.

“I think the downforce levels in GB3 are actually quite good. Definitely, it’s higher than what most people would think so I think learning the downforce aspect of things wasn’t too crazy. I felt the jump was going to be bigger in that sense.

“I’d say the biggest thing is the braking and the speed. F3 is very very quick in a straight line and has a lot more braking power, you have to press the brake a lot harder. Getting used to that took a little bit longer than the rest of it but, overall, I would say it wasn’t too bad.”

But while the car itself hasn’t been a huge challenge to adjust to, has the level of competition? After all, the FIA-organised F3 is an internationally recognised F1 feeder category, a very different level to the BRDC-run GB3 series.

“It’s hard to say – I feel like every championship I have raced in, there’s always been good drivers,” Dunne said.

“So I’m used to racing against top-level people.

“I wouldn’t say it’s anything different to what I’ve experienced before. Of course, most of the drivers you would see in F3 are very good but it’s nothing I haven’t experienced before.”

But while Dunne said there are no set targets for him to achieve this year, taking the time during the first few races to embed himself within the new environment, machinery, and team, the Irish driver will come under scrutiny from McLaren as the season goes on.

After all, F1 teams will move heaven and earth to progress drivers through the ranks if they believe the talent is there – as evidenced by what Max Verstappen did 10 years ago, and by what Mercedes is doing with junior driver Kimi Antonelli at the moment.

Is Dunne hopeful of being able to emulate what Antonelli has done and secure a fast-track rise into F2?

“I’m quite confident, I try not to really pay attention to other drivers. Of course, it’s obvious what he’s done,” he said.

“But I believe in myself. I believe, that once everything is right and in the right place at the right time, I can do the same.

“We’ll have to wait and see – that choice isn’t entirely up to me. Advancing to F2 is something that most drivers in F3 would like to do straightaway but we’ll have to wait and see what happens.

“I’m focusing on what I’m in at the moment. If you’re in F3, and you’re already thinking, ‘Oh, when am I going to be in F1?’, I think you kind of forget what you’re here to do, so I’m just focused on F3 at the moment.”

More on the latest McLaren F1 news:

McLaren respond to Lando Norris missed Canada GP win frustration in Mercedes admission

Lando Norris debunks Safety Car theory and blames McLaren’s ‘wrong call’

How has the support for Alex Dunne grown in Ireland?

Dunne was one of the star names at the Mondello Park Historical Festival last year, having received financial support from the Irish circuit and the Martin Birrane Foundation throughout 2023.

Enjoying the support of the local crowds throughout the event, Dunne’s profile isn’t yet stratospheric to the point where he is swamped by his home fans, but the Irish driver said he can feel how support from his home country is growing along with his profile.

But this growth isn’t as great as what some rival drivers get from their home countries in terms of support, Dunne believes, placing him somewhat on the back foot when it comes to being able to fight for seats.

“I would say the support from Ireland is good, but it could definitely be much better,” he said.

“Motorsport in Ireland, to be honest, I would say the support is definitely on the very low side.

“We do get help, I have felt and seen that, as I come up the ranks and as I get more successful, people kind of get into it a little bit more and there’s a bit more support.

“There are a few people who are extremely supportive of me, which is nice to see when it’s always the same people that have followed you from the start to where I am now, which is a nice thing to see.

“I have some sponsors from Ireland as well, the Harris Group is my main one, they really help out a lot.

“But, in terms of overall support from Ireland, it’s definitely on the low side compared to what you’d see in other countries.”

But, as Ireland showed with how the country threw its weight behind the then little-known Conor McGregor on his climb to the top of UFC a decade ago, Dunne getting ever closer to F1 could inspire the Irish public to increase its support of a driver with a realistic chance of succeeding Eddie Irvine and Eddie Jordan as the country’s leading F1 proponents.

“Absolutely, I can see why it would be possible,” he said when asked about this possibility.

“But, at the same time, when you get to that high level, it doesn’t really feel the same. Because I think the kind of support a driver needs, he needs early on.

“The likes of when you’re finishing karting and going to F4 or F4 into F3, those bigger steps when you’re kind of starting off, is where you really need the support.

“Having a lot of support, when you’re almost there, is, of course, very nice, but it’s not as needed as what it was when you were earlier on in the career.

“If something like that happens by the time I’m in F2, or finishing F2, it would be nice, but it’s not the same as if you had it earlier on which is when it’s needed. I feel like it’s a typical thing – when you get more successful, you start to do better, and you get closer, then that’s when people want to jump on board, which is not what’s really helpful for me.”

Read Next: Are Mercedes back? George Russell responds after best result of F1 2024