The star of McLaren’s younger driver programme left the crew through the 2025 season.
Zak Brown waved goodbye to Dunne throughout October (Picture: David Davies/PA Wire/PA Photographs)
Alex Dunne has defined his determination to stroll out of the McLaren junior programme through the 2025 F1 season. The highly-rated younger Irishman was linked with switches to the Pink Bull and Alpine youth stables, however at the moment stays unattached as he prepares for his sophomore System Two marketing campaign.
Dunne burst onto the scene in 2025 after a fairly robust System Three marketing campaign the earlier 12 months. The 20-year-old drove inside simply a few tenths of Oscar Piastri’s occasions in FP1 on the Austrian Grand Prix, and dazzled onlookers together with his daring overtaking makes an attempt within the F2 collection.
With Lando Norris and Piastri tied down long-term, Dunne confronted spending 2026 on the sidelines. After being fleetingly linked with a swap to Helmut Marko’s younger driver programme at Pink Bull, an announcement was made in October confirming the County Offaly-born racer’s exit from the McLaren system.
Many anticipated this to reflect the case of Gabriel Bortoleto, who was launched to pursue a full-time F1 seat with Sauber after profitable the F2 title in 2024. Nonetheless, no affirmation of a transfer was made, and reviews later emerged suggesting that Marko had jumped the gun on bringing Dunne in.
Talking to Balls.ie about his determination to stop McLaren, Dunne defined: “For me, there is a aim and a plan in place, and that is to be a System One driver. From the choices that I knew I had, the choice we made was one which needed to be made to be in F1.
“I believe it is so simple as that, it was truly my determination. When my dad and I had been speaking about it, he wasn’t 100 per cent positive. Usually, he is the one who’s 100 per cent positive! For me, I felt prefer it was the precise determination. I am greater than comfy with that. I believe, transferring ahead, we must be in an alright place.”
Alex Dunne’s subsequent steps are unclear (Picture: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire/PA Photographs)
Dunne ended his rookie F2 marketing campaign in fifth after struggling retirements in three of the ultimate 4 characteristic races. The Irish racing prodigy has already been confirmed for a sophomore 12 months with Rodin Motorsport in 2026 as he targets the title.
The 20-year-old nonetheless seems again at his time with Zak Brown’s crew fondly, too. “It was fairly cool. FP1 in Austria went fairly nicely, I might say,” he added. “No, it was wonderful, to be trustworthy.
Race particulars, crew updates, outcomes and opinion plus chosen affords and competitions Subscribe Invalid electronic mail
We use your sign-up to supply content material in methods you’ve got consented to and to enhance our understanding of you. This will likely embrace adverts from us and third events primarily based on our understanding. You’ll be able to unsubscribe at any time. Learn our Privateness Coverage
“Though I am not nonetheless with them now, I am going to all the time thank McLaren for that chance and for what they did for me up till we determined to go our separate methods. To have the chance this 12 months to check an F1 automotive a few occasions exterior of FP1 after which do two FP1s was clearly fairly particular.”
Keep up-to-date with the most recent F1 information Be a part of us on WhatsApp
Our group members are handled to particular affords, promotions, and adverts from us and our companions. You’ll be able to take a look at at any time. Learn our Privateness Coverage
Leave a Reply