Alexander Dunne backs title pace as Rodin driver targets cleaner execution

Dunne arrives in Spielberg firmly in the fight

Alexander Dunne heads to Spielberg with the profile of a driver very much embedded in the championship battle, even if the points table still leaves work to do. The Rodin Motorsport driver sits fourth on 67 points, 19 behind leader Gabriele Minì, after a start defined by both impressive speed and costly incidents.

“The pace has been very good,” Dunne said. “If you look at it as a team, I think over the first few rounds, Martinius and I were the only two drivers to qualify in the top four. I probably should have been on pole in Miami without the mistake at the last corner. So overall, I think it's just been about putting it together.”

Speed, setbacks and response

Dunne’s season has not been as straightforward as the podium record suggests. In Melbourne, after finishing on the Sprint Race podium, he and teammate Martinius Stenshorne collided while fighting for the Feature Race lead. In Miami, another podium was followed by a mistake at the penultimate corner that sent him into the barrier. In Montreal, contact with Joshua Duerksen in the Sprint was followed by a strong Sunday recovery to second behind Stenshorne in the Feature.

“These incidents are just little things that have had a big effect,” Dunne acknowledged. “I know what I'm capable of and I know that the pace is more than there. But I also know that there are some things I need to work on.”

His method for moving on is deliberately simple. “I just get back in the car and keep driving,” he said. “No matter what happens on track, you can never let it affect you.”

Support, pressure and the Alpine Academy

Dunne has also faced online criticism, including what he described as death threats. He made clear that mistakes from young drivers should not provoke that kind of reaction, saying he does not want to make himself a victim but does not see such abuse as normal.

A return to Mondello Park in Ireland after Miami offered a different perspective. Dunne described being surrounded by fans wearing his name as a powerful reminder of the support behind him.

His Alpine Academy role, announced at the start of the season, has also begun positively. Dunne said the team has been welcoming, while insisting that sharing academy colours with Minì and Kush Maini does not alter his weekend approach.

The target: put it all together

Dunne’s ideal remains simple: pole position and a Feature Race victory. But he accepts that not every weekend will offer that perfect scenario. The bigger priority is maximising what is available and turning obvious pace into decisive results.

“I know what I'm capable of,” he said. “I'm capable of putting it on pole and winning races. I just need to go out and do what I know I can.”