Irish and Rodin Motorsport driver Alex Dunne has joined the Alpine Academy before his 2026 F2 season starts at the F1 Australian GP weekend.
The two-time F2 race winner switches from McLaren to Alpine with the 2026 season around the corner
In 2024, the Irishman joined the McLaren Development Driver Programme.
From there he would do two FP1 sessions in 2025, at the F1 Austrian and Italian GPs. P4 in his run at the Red Bull Ring was an outstanding performance.
However, it was announced in October 2025 that Dunne would be leaving McLaren. With World Champion Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri tied down to long-term contracts in the F1 team, the driver from Offaly had no route to make the final step up with the Woking-based squad.
Initially he seemed set for the Red Bull Junior Programme but that fell by the wayside. Sources told Pit Debrief senior management at the F1 team did not want him as part of their roster.
From there, talks started with Alpine late last year for Alex Dunne to join their Academy ahead of his second campaign in F2 in 2026. Now, a deal has been agreed.
Going for the title in the 2026 F2 season a must for new Alpine Academy driver Alex Dunne
2025 was a year of huge promise for the 20-year-old who stays at Rodin Motorsport for 2026. He led the F2 championship on a couple of occasions, winning brilliantly in the Bahrain and Imola Feature races early in the year.
However, he mixed the very good with the bad. A series of incidents — most famously in Monaco — cost him a shot at the championship. The young Offaly man was also taken out a couple of times through no fault of his own. It meant he finished 5th in points.
The pace is there. If he can iron out the mistakes and make better decisions, he will be a championship contender. Alex Dunne’s chances of getting a drive at Alpine or in another F1 team requires a title-winning season.
