Oscar Piastri set to miss the F1 Italian GP FP1

Oscar Piastri will sit out the Italian GP FP1 session in favor of McLaren Academy driver Alex Dunne. This would mark McLaren's second of the four mandatory rookie free practice outings for the team during the 2025 season.

McLaren gave Dunne his first outing at the Austrian GP weekend earlier in the year. Then, Lando Norris had missed the FP1 session for the 19-year-old, who impressed the paddock with an elated laptime that helped him claim the fourth rank during the first practice session.

Though he has not met the same heights in the F2 championship since then, his return to the F1 paddock was a matter of time. Moreover, Dunne will receive his second free practice outing this year in place of Piastri this time, at Monza.

Reflecting on having the opportunity to drive the MCL39 yet again, the Irishman said (via McLaren):

"I’m super excited to be back in the MCL39 for my second FP1 with McLaren. My first session in Austria was an extremely special day for me, but I think to do it again in Monza, which is a historic and prestigious track, is definitely going to put a very big smile on my face."

"I’m looking forward to building and improving on what was already a strong outing in Austria and helping Lando and Oscar as much as possible going into their weekend," he added.

Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri will take back the MCL39 from Dunne after the FP1 session for the remainder of the Italian GP weekend.

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Oscar Piastri hoping to continue his strong momentum into the Italian GP weekend

McLaren's Oscar Piastri at the 2025 F1 Grand Prix of the Netherlands - Source: Getty

Oscar Piastri emerged victorious last time around at Zandvoort. The Dutch GP became the venue for his seventh race win of the season, while Lando Norris retired from the race with a mechanical failure.

This has given the Aussie driver a respectable 34-point lead over the Brit. Though not having the car for the FP1 session might not be the most ideal situation for Piastri to head into the weekend, his 2024 Monza stint ended with him having the upper hand over Norris.

Sharing his thoughts on gearing up for Monza, the 24-year-old said:

"I’m really excited for Monza. Zandvoort was a very strong weekend and I’m determined to follow that up and fight for the victory in Italy. I finished second there last year and I’m working hard to go one better this year."

On the other hand, McLaren will be hoping to have a redemption drive this year. The squad had locked out the front row last year but was trampled by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who opted for an alternate strategy and made the gamble work, claiming the victory in front of the Tifosi.