McLaren Racing adds F3 racers Alex Dunne and Martinius Stenshorne in their F1 academy line-up, which is being looked after by Stephane Carlin.
McLaren Racing today announced that FIA Formula 3 drivers Alex Dunne and Martinius Stenshorne have joined the McLaren Driver Development programme. Alex is a promising young racer having secured the 2022 British F4 Championship title with Hitech Grand Prix.
The 18-year-old from Offaly, Ireland finished as vice-champion in both the 2022 Italian F4 Championship and the 2023 GB3 Championship. This notable form led to a drive with Hitech Pulse-Eight in the Macau Grand Prix where he qualified sixth on his street circuit debut before finishing second in the qualifying race.
Martinius has also impressed on track in his junior career. Born into a rallying family, he started racing aged four. Martinius secured multiple international karting championships before moving to Formula 4, where he scored three podiums across the UAE, German and Italian Championships. In 2023, the 18-year-old Norwegian driver competed in the Formula Regional European Championship where he became the first rookie to win their debut race while finishing as vice-champion of the series with four further wins to his name.
Alex and Martinius both currently compete in the FIA Formula 3 Championship, Dunne with MP Motorsport and Stenshorne with Hitech Pulse-Eight. The pair have started their respective seasons strongly with Martinius securing a Sprint Race win in Australia and Alex scoring his first points in his second race at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Alex and Martinius’ involvement in the McLaren Driver Development programme will see them join the team’s talent pipeline which has an overarching aim to help drivers progress towards Formula 1, IndyCar and Formula E. Established in 2022, following the team’s long history of developing talent in motorsport, the programme is led by F1 Business Operations Director Stephanie Carlin.
Stephanie Carlin, Director, F1 Business Operations, said: “We’re pleased to announce that Alex and Martinius have joined our Driver Development programme. They are both exciting and promising young talents within motorsport, with proven records on track in their respective junior categories including this season’s FIA Formula 3 Championship. The entire team is looking forward to welcoming Alex and Martinius to the McLaren family and we’ll be working closely to support their development within our talent pipeline.”
Alex Dunne, Driver, McLaren Driver Development, said: “It’s an honour to join the McLaren Driver Development programme and I’m looking forward to getting started with the team. McLaren provides the perfect environment for me to develop my skillset as I continue my journey in motorsport. I’m grateful for Zak and Stephanie’s support and I’m excited to meet the rest of the team at MTC.”
Martinius Stenshorne, Driver, McLaren Driver Development, said: “I’m incredibly excited to join the McLaren Driver Development programme, it’s an honour to now be part of the McLaren family. The team has a great history of developing talent, so I’m looking forward to growing with the team and learning from their expertise as I continue on my journey towards the top of motorsport. Thank you to Zak, Stephanie and the entire team for their faith in me, I can’t wait to get started.”
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[Note: The story is as per press release]