IRISH TEENAGER ALEX Dunne is officially making the step up to Formula 3.
MP Motorsport have confirmed that the 18-year-old will join the Dutch team for the 2024 campaign.
Dunne takes MP’s third seat, joining fellow F3 rookies and new Red Bull juniors Kacper Sztuka and Tim Tramnitz for the championship, which is two tiers below Formula One.
“I’m thrilled to start my first full season of FIA F3 with MP Motorsport,” Dunne said.
“They are proven winners in every category that they compete in, and I’m sure that they will use their experience to help me build on my initial experiences with the F3 car in the post-season FIA F3 test at Imola and then at Macau.
“I will be up against the best drivers at this level of single-seater racing, but that’s what I’m here for. I relish the challenge ahead and can’t wait to get started.”
BREAKING: Alex Dunne signs with @OfficialMPteam ✍️
— Formula 3 (@Formula3) February 5, 2024
The Irish driver completes the Dutch squad’s 2024 roster ✔️#F3 #RoadToF1 pic.twitter.com/mq8ty0itZI
Offaly native Dunne finished second in the 2023 GB3 Championship — winning five races in his first season — and took part in post-season F3 testing with Hitech Pulse-Eight.
He made his single seater racing debut in 2021, and went on to impress through the F4 ranks. In his first taste of F3 action, Dunne topped the final test of 2023 at Imola.
“We are truly excited to welcome Alex to our FIA F3 team,” Team Principal of MP, Sander Dorsman, added.
“He has had an outstanding year in GB3 and then, fresh into an FIA F3 car, proved his innate pace at Imola and Macau. His Macau performance in particular was hard to overlook, so we were happy to pounce and snap him up for our final FIA F3 seat.
“Along with Tim and Kacper, we will have three very quick young drivers all eager to prove their point. I’m confident that they will all shine in their debut seasons.”
Fine player and was guaranteed choice for team of the year. Here’s hoping to more like him coming through
@Shaun Gallagher: sure Porter is not far off him as it is. He would certainly have been fighting it out for a starting berth on the Lions team if it wasn’t for his injury
Over the years tight head props were at least perceived as being slower and less skilful than loose heads. A few years ago before he hit the interprovincial and international stage I asked him if he ever considered switching to loose. He looked at me like I had 2 heads. But after I explained that with his speed and skills he might get more freedom and be on the ball more often at loose he didn’t knock me off my barstool. He said that he would be sticking with tight but would show that modern No 3s
could have all the skills and still anchor the scrum. How right he was. He has set the standard for tight heads worldwide. Brilliant rugby player.
@JG: this is a bit like the Michael Owen BBC sports personality of the year tweet!
Wonderful player great watching him play long may he last
I wonder is he better than Peter Clohessy was?
Just curious but he is one hell of a player
@O’Brien Michael: Claw was a legend but he was a penalty machine. Also, Furlong has broken the mold with his handling and footwork. That simply didn’t exist for props 15 years back.
@Steve O’Farrell: thats a fair comment old chap
A super player, why wouldn’t he amd his mother a Cork woman, but he tries (pun) to keep that quiet.
Great article, and a super player .let’s hope he stays injury free for the next World Cup . Well need all his skills to table for that .
Not only is he the best tighthead in the world at the moment, he is arguably the greatest tighthead prop there has ever been.
G’wan Tadhg ur a ⭐️