Following his sudden departure from McLaren’s junior program, Alex Dunne has been immediately linked with Red Bull. The 19-year-old Irishman, known for his aggressive driving style and speed, was even mentioned by Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko in Singapore, who confirmed that discussions are taking place.
“He is fast, aggressive, and therefore fits well within our profile at Red Bull,” Helmut Marko gives as a reason for the interest in Dunne from the racing team, speaking to Sky Deutschland. At the same time, he noted that Dunne “still makes a lot of mistakes” — a recognizable learning process for young drivers in Formula 2. This season, Dunne has won two races and seemed to be on the verge of victory during the Belgian Feature Race, but still lost due to a time penalty for an incorrect start procedure. He had various incidents during the past race weekends, which have significantly reduced his chances in the title fight.
Yet, Red Bull remains interested in a potential collaboration with Dunne. “Now that he is free from his McLaren contract, he is certainly someone we want to have conversations with,” Marko confirms. McLaren announced this week that it has terminated the contract with the Formula 2 driver, although the official announcement did not give an explicit reason for Dunne’s departure from the British racing team.
Lawson, Tsunoda, and Lindblad
The timing of Dunne’s departure from McLaren is striking, as Red Bull is preparing for the driver lineup for 2026. Max Verstappen is the only certainty within the main team, while the future of both Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson is still uncertain. There are also multiple options possible at sister team Racing Bulls, with Formula 2 driver Arvid Lindblad prominently on the radar. With the right development, Dunne could easily fit into that picture. A place within the Red Bull junior program and another season in Formula 2 seems a logical first step, but as is often the case with Red Bull: those who convince can quickly move up.
