Alex Dunne: ‘I pulled the trigger’ on McLaren exit as Alpine talks intensify
Alex Dunne says leaving McLaren’s driver development programme was his decision, made with one objective in mind: get to Formula 1. The 20-year-old Irishman, fresh off a rookie F2 season studded with race wins and headline-grabbing FP1 pace, has confirmed he walked away from Woking last year to open the right doors for 2026.
“For me, there’s a goal and a plan in place and that’s to be a Formula 1 driver,” Dunne told balls.ie. “From the options that I knew I had, the decision we made was one that had to be made to be in F1. I think it’s as simple as that.”
Those options now appear to include Alpine. Dunne is understood to be in advanced discussions to combine a 2026 Formula 2 campaign with reserve and test duties at Enstone, with negotiations involving Renault executive advisor Flavio Briatore. No signatures yet, but the direction of travel is clear.
“It was actually my decision,” he added. “When my dad and I were talking about it, he wasn’t 100 per cent sure. Normally, he’s the one who is 100 per cent sure! For me, I felt like it was the right decision. I’m more than comfortable with that.”
Dunne joined McLaren’s programme in 2024 and used his time well. He delivered in the shop window at the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix, where he was fourth fastest in FP1 in the MCL39, then returned for another FP1 run at Monza later in the year. Between those sessions, he also logged mileage in McLaren’s 2023 car, the MCL60, at Zandvoort and COTA.
“Although I’m not still with them now, I’ll always thank McLaren for that opportunity and for what they did for me up until we decided to go our separate ways,” he said. “To have the opportunity this year to test an F1 car a couple of times outside of FP1 and then do two FP1s was obviously pretty special.”
If Alpine becomes the next chapter, it would mark a smart pivot after another door closed. Dunne held introductory talks with Red Bull’s Helmut Marko around the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix and drew praise as “very much like a Red Bull driver,” before the path ultimately cooled. It happens. The point is that Dunne’s on enough shortlists to keep his phone busy.
The key, as ever, is the licence to drive. Dunne narrowly missed the F2 top three last season and with it the automatic 40 Super Licence points needed for F1. He’ll be back in F2 with Rodin in 2026 and knows exactly what’s required: fight for the title or, at minimum, lock down the top three. Dispensation exists, as others have shown, but nobody wants to build a career on exceptions.
That’s the backdrop to his McLaren exit. As popular as the badge is on a CV, staying put without a clear path is a gamble. Dunne’s camp has chosen urgency over comfort, and the timing feels right for a driver who’s already proved he can be quick straight out of the box. His Austria FP1 lap left a mark. So did the composure in Monza. The raw ingredients are visible; now it’s about stacking points and seat time.
There’s also a hint of steel in how he tells it. “I think, moving forward, we should be in an alright place,” he said, matter-of-factly. Translation: the plan’s in motion, and it’s one he owns.
If Alpine lands him as reserve and test driver while Rodin runs his F2 title push, Dunne’s 2026 will be busy, high-mileage and exactly the sort of year that turns a prospect into a ready-made F1 option. He’s cut ties with a big name to build his own lane. Now he has to drive it flat out.
