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The Hindu
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Hindu
F1's next big hope is rising rapidly through the ranks
The road to Formula One, the pinnacle of single-seater racing, is one of the most challenging in sports. While the pathway to get there is structured through various levels in junior formulae, getting through those in the shortest time frame is the challenge most young racing drivers face. Ever since Max Verstappen burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old, the top teams have always been in constant search for the next big thing. In the lead-up to this season, there was much hype around Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the 18-year-old who replaced Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes this year. Many believe that the Italian is the next big thing in the mould of Verstappen. Alongside Antonelli, this year, F1 is undergoing a generational transformation with as many as six rookies entering their first full season. Next year, the sport could have one more young gun joining the ranks. In April, during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, the 17-year-old Arvid Lindblad made history by becoming the youngest driver to win an FIA Formula 2 race in the sprint race that weekend. The British racer has been part of Red Bull Racing's junior programme for the last few years and is one of the brightest prospects in the junior categories. Interestingly, the teenager has Indian heritage through his mother and is quite familiar with the culture, having grown up in a household where his maternal grandmother took care of him and even prepared Indian food for race meetings. Last year, he visited India with his parents and maternal grandparents. The Red Bull hierarchy, including Dr. Helmut Marko, in charge of the young driver's programme, and team boss Christian Horner, has constantly referred to Lindblad as their next big bet in F1. 'Taking a win, it's just a big confidence booster. It takes away a bit of pressure, but it's not like there's no pressure because one win will not change your career. It was good to get the season started, and I'm very happy,' said Lindblad. 'I think it feels good, but there's still a lot of work to be done. It was a sprint race, not a feature. It gives me confidence that I'm doing a good job and we're making steps forward. However, I'm not naive enough to think this is okay. I mean, I've still got a lot of work to be done. There's still a lot of work to be done. I'm not settling down now just because I won a race,' he explained after his record-breaking feat. Earlier this year, the youngster won the Formula Regional Oceania Championship in New Zealand, which helped him earn enough points to qualify for an FIA Super License, a prerequisite for participating in F1. He will have it once he turns 18 in August. However, in a clear sign of faith in the youngster, Red Bull has requested that the FIA fast-track his application, and the governing body is set to meet next week to determine if the exemption can be granted to him. Apart from his sheer speed and consistent results, it is Lindblad's meteoric rise through the junior ranks that has stood out in his journey so far, despite coming from a non-racing background. Recently, Dr Marko recalled the first time he met the youngster, who was 13 at the time, during a karting world championship event. He was impressed by his maturity and signed him up for the Red Bull Junior programme. 'If I look back, I met him first in Portimão. I met him and his father, and Arvid was leading the conversation. So that also was something which is not normal,' Marko said to the Inside Line F1 podcast. The Red Bull programme is known for being cut-throat, and Dr. Marko's reputation is one of a stern taskmaster and someone ruthless when it comes to dropping drivers who don't deliver. However, Lindblad says he doesn't feel the pressure and instead revels in it. 'I feel I'm pretty good at blocking out the noise on that side. And also, I put a lot of pressure on myself because I want to be in Formula One. That's also why Dr. Marko and I get along quite well. I think sometimes on these junior teams, it's easy to maybe lose sight of why you're there and what you're doing, because you feel the pressure from the bosses to perform. I can flip it a different way and say I'm here because they believe in me, and I want to reach Formula One, and they only want to help me get there. So I don't feel any pressure on that side,' he adds. One of the challenges of advancing through the ranks is not to stay at the same level for too long, but to continually step up. More than half of the current grid has followed the F4, F3, and F2 routes. Seamless progress After acing the karting level, the 17-year-old began single-seater racing properly only two years ago in F4 and has progressed seamlessly to the following levels, reaching F2 in only his third year in cars. 'I feel that in F2, of course, the second and third seasons help a lot, but I think even in the younger categories, it makes an even bigger difference. You can imagine when you're young, there's a lot more to learn. So I think that makes a big difference. I think that a second year or an extra year helps a lot,' Lindblad explains. 'I'm still learning massively. The step I made during the F3 season alone was huge just cause it was my second year in a car and most people are doing that second year in a car in F4, or FRECA (Formula Regional European Championship).' Last year in the FIA F3, Lindblad finished fourth in the standings and briefly led the championship, achieving some impressive wins, including a double win at Silverstone (Sprint and Feature races). In one race that weekend, he came through the field from outside the top-10. Speaking about the targets for the season, Lindblad said it is to start fighting for wins regularly by the second half of the season. 'I think that the goal is similar to F3, to sort of learn the first couple of races. It is a big step. I'm still young and experienced and sort of just chip away at it, but by the second half of the season, I want to be challenging for wins and poles. If I'm being honest, I want to do it earlier than the second half of the season. I'm just really focused on myself and trying to keep learning, working with the team, because I believe that we can.' Shining in Spain Cut to earlier this week, Lindblad already hit his next goal when he clinched his maiden pole position during the Spanish GP weekend in Barcelona and also managed his first feature race win. The victory has put him just eight points behind leader Alex Dunne and is in the thick of the fight for the F2 title. In fact, a few years ago, while he was still in karts, Lindblad told current McLaren driver and title contender Lando Norris that he would be racing against him in F1 soon. 'It was quite funny,' he says, recalling the incident. 'I met him when he came to the kart track in 2021, and we were all racing. It was a big karting race, and he came because he was launching his own chassis. And I remember I was just there with my friend, and I saw him, and I said to my friend, I'm going to go and talk to him, and he was like 'no, you're not brave enough.' Initially, I was kind of on the edge, but then when he said that, that he almost didn't believe that I was going to do it, that almost was like motivation for me. And I don't know, I just went straight up to Lando. I just saw Lando, and I was like, 'Remember me, I'll see you in five years.' And it was meant in just like sort of a joking manner, but also with a hint of determination, saying, I'm going to be pushing hard, and I hope to do it in the future. And yeah, I have been working hard the last couple of years. I didn't leave myself a very easy timeline, because I had to do one category for every year, which is what I have done.' In a few months, Lindblad will be eligible to participate in F1 free practice sessions, in which teams are mandated to run young drivers, and will even have the opportunity to run alongside Norris and showcase his abilities behind the wheel of an F1 car. Being part of Red Bull means he is part of a team that controls four seats in F1 with potential vacancies. But at the same time, Lindblad says that while he is aware of the opportunities, he wants to avoid dwelling too far into the future and is focused on the job at hand. 'I'm quite aware. I see the news reports that Dr. Marko and Christian Horner are mentioning me in a positive light, which is good and means they're pleased with what I'm doing. That gives me confidence and a sign that I am doing things right, and just to keep sort of working the same way.' 'But I am also very aware that it can change very quickly, and them talking about me now is not going to get me to F1 next year. I try not to think about it. I just focus on the performance in F2 because I know that's what will get me to F1. I know, I'm confident that if I do well, there'll be an opportunity for me.' 'Hopefully, I will do F2 once, and then I will be in F1 next year. And then that will be the timeline sorted. So yeah, we will see.'
RTÉ News
01-06-2025
- Automotive
- RTÉ News
Alex Dunne stays top of F2 standings after fifth place finish in Barcelona
Ireland's Alex Dunne (Rodin Motorsport) continues to lead the FIA Formula 2 championship, the main support class to F1 race weekends, after a fifth-place finish in today's F2 feature race in Barcelona. Dunne started the second race of the weekend in Spain in eighth place on the grid, following a three-place penalty for an incident in the free practice session in which he collided with Victor Martins. The Offlay teenager eventually finished fifth with Britain's Arvid Lindblad converting pole position into his maiden Formula 2 feature race victory, also giving his Spanish team Campos Racing their first win on home soil in the Championship. Dunne, who is part of McLaren's driver development programme, picked up a bonus point on offer for registering the fastest lap of the race. Up ahead Lindblad was never threatened, leading home PREMA Racing's Sebastián Montoya who finished second and MP Motorsport's Richard Verschoor in third, after a late safety car was withdrawn on the final lap. Dunne's fifth place came after his incredible drive in Saturday's sprint race, where he swept aside grid penalties to climb from the back of the grid in 19th place to finish second and take the overall championship lead after six rounds. The Offalyman did had wait to see if the race stewards took any retrospective action for an alleged yellow flag infringement late on in the feature race, but he was exonerated and kept his fifth place finish and with it, the championship lead. The 19-year-old sits atop the F2 series standings ahead of this month's Austrian Grand Prix on 87 points, three clear of Richard Verschoor with Lindblad a further five points back in third. Speaking after his astonishing sprint race second placed finish Dunne said: "I think we've seen over the past couple of weekends that the pace is more than there, but sometimes you just need to accept that you are where you are, instead of trying to go for more. That is something we need to dial in a bit more in the coming weekends"
RTÉ News
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- RTÉ News
Alex Dunne grabs maiden F2 pole at prestigious Monaco Grand Prix
Alex Dunne has claimed his maiden pole position in FIA Formula 2 after setting the fastest time in Friday's qualifying session for the Monaco Grand Prix. The Offaly native, has already enjoyed a stellar season to date in the final feeder series leading to Formula One, winning the feature races in Bahrain and Imola, which has left him top of the drivers standings. The McLaren development driver has an opportunity to extend that championship lead at an iconic Monaco street circuit where qualification is more paramount than at any other venue. The 19-year-old, who drivers for the Rodin team in F2, made his way round the Monte Carlo streets in a time of 1:21.142 , three thousands of a second faster than Victor Martins of ART Grand Prix, which ensured that he will start from pole for Sunday's feature race. 🏁 CHEQUERED FLAG 🏁 BY THREE THOUSANDTHS OF A SECOND, ALEX DUNNE GRABS POLE!!! A 1:21.142 secures the championship leader pole position for Sunday's Feature Race #F2 #MonacoGP — Formula 2 (@Formula2) May 23, 2025 Next up for Dunne in Monaco will be Saturday's sprint race, before the feature race the following morning which will precede the F1 race.
The 42
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- The 42
Ireland's Alex Dunne powers to another Formula 2 win
IRELAND'S ALEX DUNNE has powered to another FIA Formula 2 victory. Racing for Rodin Motorsport at Imola, the Offaly 19-year-old timed his move to perfection to win for the second time in just over a month. Advertisement Dunne secured a first-ever F2 victory for Ireland at the Bahrain Grand Prix in April. The first Irish driver to compete on the circuit, he is top of the podium again today after a recent third-placed finish in Saudi Arabia. Dunne started fifth on the grid and bided his time before surging into the lead on lap 27 and holding his position thereafter. Luke Browning (Hitech TGR) finished second, with Dino Beganovic (Hitech TGR) taking third. The Clonbullogue native is now top of the F2 standings on 64 points after four rounds, with Browning next in line on 58. Monte Carlo stages the next race from 22-25 May. Dunne — a McLaren development driver — competed in Formula 3 last year but made the step up to F2 for 2025, the level directly below Formula 1.
RTÉ News
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- RTÉ News
Alex Dunne sparkles in Imola to notch another F2 victory
Ireland's Alex Dunne surged to another brilliant FIA Formula 2 victory on Sunday, timing his move to perfection to win at Imola for Rodin Motorsport. Dunne is the first Irish driver to compete in the F2 having secured a 2025 drive with the Rodin team. In April, the Offaly man claimed his first grand prix victory in F2 when he won in Bahrain. He followed that up with a third-placed finish in Saudi Arabia, and has now further strenghthened his position in the championship with a second race win of the campaign. He started fifth on the grid but bided his time before overtaking AIX Racing's Joshua Durksen on lap 27 to take a lead he would not relinquish. Luke Browning (Hitech TGR) was second, with Dino Beganovic (Hitech TGR) third. It leaves Dunne top of the standings on 64 points after four rounds ahead of Browing (58 points) and Richard Verschoor (MP Motorsport, 55 points). The next race takes place in Monte Carlo from 22 to 25 May. Earlier this month Dunne - part of the McLaren F1 driver development programme - was chosen to test a McLaren Formula One car at the Zandvoort seaside circuit in the Netherlands.
