In today’s Formula 2 Sprint, Alex Dunne started eighth on the grid due to the reverse-grid format. He wasn’t expecting much from today’s race, as his eyes were set on claiming a podium in tomorrow’s Feature race, where he starts third. However, in a surprising turn of events, the young Irishman found himself on the final step of the podium in today’s Sprint.
Read what Dunne had to say after an eventful Formula 2 Sprint.
Experience is Key
Going into today’s race, Dunne did not set high expectations for his result. He was ready to manage his race and use the data to better understand his Rodin car’s pace before tomorrow’s Feature race. Dunne has previously stated that he is looking to fight for the F2 championship title after finishing fifth in his 2025 rookie campaign. Today’s result may have been a welcome surprise, but it is all thanks to the crucial experience he gained in his rookie campaign.
Embed from Getty Images“I definitely didn’t think starting p8 I would be sat here in the same position as yesterday…I don’t really think we necessarily had the pace to finish third. I think a lot of it was kind of using my experience from last year and trying to be a bit more careful, a little bit smarter in the beginning of the race and get stuck in when it all unfolds in the end.”
Picking His Battles Carefully
With the experience he has built up over his career thus far, Dunne has become confident in his ability to pick and choose his battles. When his teammate, Martinius Stenshorne, was handed a five-second penalty, Dunne was ready to bide his time and follow his teammate as he made his own way up the leaderboard. He knew that that would be more risk than reward if he tried to fight his way past his teammate.
“Yeah, I knew when I was behind Martinis, the team told me he had a five-second penalty. So at that point I kind of backed off a little bit and started saving the tyres because I think there was no point in trying to go crazy to get past him or just losing more time for the both of us…So I kind of tried to play it smart. And most of the time when he made a move on the car in front, I kind of just went with him and picked up the pieces.”
Remaining Calm Seals the Podium
With multiple restarts throughout the race, there were many opportunities for drivers to fight their way past their rivals. It may be a risky move, but these drivers will do whatever it takes to score more points in their fight for the championship. Using his learnings from last season, Dunne made sure to carefully pick and choose when to make a move up the field.
“After the last restart, I think that’s when it all unfolded and everyone was going a little bit crazy trying to get the most out of it… So I tried to use my experience the best I could and learn from what I did last year. I know that the goal is to be more consistent this year and just bring home the points when I can. But also I think when there’s moments to get stuck in and be a bit more aggressive and move forward, you have to use those moments as well.”
In what he would see as a more than successful first race in 2026, Alex Dunne secured a third-place podium in his fight for the championship. Starting in third tomorrow, he will have the opportunity to fight for another podium position – one that will earn him a lot more points.
Will his experience and cool composure be enough to secure him a double-podium in Melbourne? Find out when the Formula 2 Feature Race gets underway tomorrow at 11:25 am local time.
Feature Image Credit: Formula 2