Alex Dunne splits with McLaren as Red Bull interest heats up
Alex Dunne has walked away from McLaren’s junior programme with immediate effect, opening the door to a potential move into the Red Bull orbit after a run of eye‑catching performances in Formula 2 and a composed FP1 debut with McLaren in Austria.
The Irishman, signed by McLaren while still in F3 in 2024, has been one of F2’s standout performers this season. Despite a few misfortunes blunting a full title assault, he’s been a regular winner and a constant presence at the sharp end — enough to push his case for a 2026 F1 seat. But with McLaren’s race line-up locked in around Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and no obvious sister outfit to park a rookie, the pathway for Dunne inside the papaya system quickly narrowed.
“From today, I’ve mutually decided to part ways with the McLaren Driver Development programme,” Dunne wrote on social media. “I’d like to thank every individual at McLaren who has helped me develop and improve as a driver. To have my first opportunity to drive an F1 car, followed by two FP1 sessions, is something I’ll always hold very close to my heart. I wish them all the best for the future. Thank you, Papaya family. Still two important rounds left to focus on this year, very excited for what’s to come.”
Dunne had been in line for more FP1 mileage and a rookie test with McLaren later this year, but differences over the best next step reportedly led to tensions. If you’re a young driver stuck behind two long-term contracts and no customer team, it’s a problem without a satisfying solution.
Enter Red Bull. Paddock chatter has linked Dunne to Helmut Marko’s talent pipeline for weeks, and the pair have met at recent races. Sources stress those talks have been introductory rather than a hard sell for 2026, but the interest is real. Red Bull’s spokesperson kept it boilerplate when asked: “Alex is a talented driver and will be of interest to many in the paddock, but Red Bull will only comment on drivers who are signed to the Red Bull programme.”
The intrigue sits, inevitably, around Racing Bulls. The Faenza team hasn’t confirmed its 2026 line-up, and the expectation among insiders is that seats there could move as Red Bull shuffles its pieces for the new regulations cycle. Liam Lawson and junior hotshot Arvid Lindblad have been the names in circulation, with the broader domino set involving Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda also in the mix. Where Dunne fits in that web is still to be determined — and nothing is signed — but his sudden exit from McLaren naturally raises eyebrows about potential late‑season FP1 runs or private testing in Red Bull machinery before the year is out.
From Dunne’s side, the timing makes sense. He’s shown he can jump into an F1 car and deliver a clean, competitive FP1 — Austria being the best example — and he needs a structure that can translate his F2 momentum into a race seat. Red Bull, for all its ruthlessness, also offers opportunity at a rate few others can match. If you’re quick enough, they don’t usually make you wait.
From McLaren’s perspective, this is the cost of success and stability. Norris and Piastri are entrenched; the team’s upward curve leaves little tolerance for long grooming programs without a landing spot. They’ve invested in Dunne, given him meaningful F1 mileage, and genuinely improved his stock. The clean break feels pragmatic for both sides.
The next few weeks will tell us how quickly Dunne’s next chapter crystallises. If he’s trackside in Red Bull kit before Abu Dhabi, no one will be surprised. If he plays the longer game and signs for 2026 with steady FP1 exposure to close 2025, that tracks too.
For now, Dunne’s focus returns to closing out his F2 campaign. Two crucial rounds remain, and nothing sharpens a contract negotiation like silverware.
Developing story.
