Irish racing sensation Alex Dunne heads into the Belgian Grand Prix weekend sitting third in the F2 championship standings, but it’s his recent comments about navigating multiple racing categories that reveal the depth of his rapid ascent through motorsport’s ranks.
Fresh from finishing sixth overall in the 2025 Formula E Rookie Test in Berlin, Dunne spoke exclusively to Pit Debrief about his whirlwind journey through F4, F3, F2, Formula E, and even F1 testing—all within just two years.
“I don’t even know, to be honest”
When asked about the biggest learning from his meteoric rise, Dunne’s candid response revealed both humility and perspective. “I don’t even know, to be honest,” he said. “I’ve kind of had a normal trajectory through my career, let’s say. I think just then from F3 to F2 was kind of where it sped up a little bit.
“And then now driving F1 cars and Formula E cars and having the opportunity to do an F3 run. I think as a driver, it’s always good to learn and adapt to different cars. Dunne continued, “I think from F2 to F1 is a big difference. And then Formula E is a massive difference, even more so than the two.”
Dunne’s philosophy on cross-category experience reflects mature thinking beyond his years. “So I think it’s always good to be learning and understanding different things, regardless of Formula E, for example,” he explained. “Realistically, the driving style and the way you drive an FE car, I’m probably not going to bring to F2 or whenever I drive F1. But I think still as a driver, it’s good just to have extra knowledge and understand and learn how to drive different things.”
McLaren’s crucial role
The young Irishman was quick to credit McLaren’s support structure for managing his rapid progression, saying, “For me, that’s something that’s been very, very important. And that’s kind of why I made the decision to be the reserve driver this year, also because it was integrated with McLaren, which made it an even better decision.”
His appreciation for the team’s guidance was evident. “So it’s been a very fast-paced couple of years, but I think I’m enjoying it,” he admitted. “McLaren has done a very good job at making it easier for me. When I knew at the beginning of this year that I was going to be driving F1 and things like that, they’ve done a very good job at helping me adapt and develop. And I think that’s been a key part.”
The rollercoaster F2 campaign
Dunne’s reflective comments come as he finds himself in the top three of an F2 Championship that has been anything but straightforward. His 2025 F2 season has featured dramatic swings between triumph and disappointment, creating the perfect laboratory for the kind of learning he describes.
The lows have been particularly instructive. At Bahrain’s Sprint race, desperation on worn tyres led to costly contacts with both Luke Browning and Ritomo Miyata. In Jeddah’s Feature race, an overly aggressive move on Browning resulted in a penalty. Monaco provided the season’s nadir when his impossible overtake attempt on Victor Martins triggered a massive accident involving nearly half the grid.
Spain added insult to injury when a practice session mistake—hitting Victor Martins’ ART whilst practising pit limiter entries—earned him additional grid penalties on top of existing sanctions.
Historic highs demonstrate potential
Yet, these setbacks have been balanced by moments of brilliance that justify Dunne’s championship position. His Bahrain Feature race victory, won by 8.3 seconds from fourth on the grid, marked the first Irish triumph at Formula 2 level since 1979. Imola provided another masterclass, where he carved through traffic following a mid-race safety car to secure his second feature win.
Perhaps most telling was his Australian Sprint drive—starting 16th due to team penalties, he charged to ninth on his F2 debut, making turn 11 his personal playground with a series of brilliant late-braking moves. In Spain’s Sprint, after starting 19th due to accumulated penalties, he stormed through the field alongside Richard Verschoor, narrowly missing victory to the experienced Dutchman.
Championship fight intensifies
As the Belgian GP approaches, Dunne maintains a 14-point disadvantage over Richard Verschoor in the F2 Championship standings, with Jak Crawford eight points ahead, after Silverstone.
His mature approach to managing multiple racing disciplines whilst fighting for the Championship title suggests that Ireland’s motorsport sensation possesses not just the speed to compete at the highest level, but the wisdom to navigate the journey towards Formula 1.
