27/06/2025 15:40
Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok has called on McLaren to strike a
deal with Cadillac to sign Alex Dunne to a race drive next year.
Dunne made his FP1 debut with McLaren at the Austrian Grand Prix,
stepping in for Lando Norris as the Woking-based squad carried out
one of its four mandatory rookie outings. The Irishman ended the
session in fourth place, less than one-tenth behind championship
leader and temporary team-mate Oscar Piastri. Moving to F1 with
McLaren in the near future does not appear to be a realistic option
for Dunne as both Norris and Piastri are tied down to long-term
deals. But with the F1 grid expanding to 11 teams next year with
the arrival of Cadillac, Chandhok has suggested it could be an
option for Dunne. "If I was McLaren now, I'd be trying to do a deal
with Cadillac or someone like that, just based on everything he's
shown," Chandhok told Sky F1 . "He's the leader of the F2
championship and they've seen potential in testing. "We have seen
it publicly today, but they've seen it. You want to find him a seat
somewhere to build up some racing experience." It is not uncommon
for junior drivers of major manufacturers to be loaned out to other
teams, with Oliver Bearman currently racing for Haas despite being
a Ferrari academy member. Chandhok urged McLaren to take a similar
approach to get him up to speed in F1 as soon as possible.
"Honestly, I'd be trying to get him a deal somewhere else for a
period of time and farm him out," he added. "Have him on some sort
of a tether that they can pull them back in, in a way that Mercedes
has done in the past with George Russell, for example. "If I was
McLaren, I'd be trying to get him a racing somewhere."
