Irish F2 driver Alex Dunne has spoken about his future following a report from the BBC that he is in talks with Alpine F1 after leaving the McLaren Driver Development Programme back in October.
It has been a strong and standout year for the Irishman in Formula 2. He has taken 2 wins at Bahrain and Imola. Overall he has bagged 8 podiums. Dunne is 5th in points as the season reaches its climax at the Abu Dhabi GP this weekend.
Alongside that, a mightily impressive P4 in FP1 at the Austrian GP showed what he could do behind the wheel of a F1 car. He lapped less than a tenth slower compared to McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri for that session.
Alex Dunne on leaving the McLaren F1 Driver Development Programme
Speaking to Pit Debrief and other media outlets following a P3 finish in the F2 Qatar GP feature race last Sunday, the 20-year-old said he made the call to leave McLaren.
“Well, I chose to leave.
“I think I have a goal set out, and that is to be a Formula 1 driver. And that decision was one that needed to be made to have that opportunity.
“So that’s why we did what we did.”
Pushed on his reasons for leaving McLaren, the driver from Offaly explained that the fact Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are both tied down to long-term deals at the Woking-based squad. While the pair have been battling for the Drivers’ Championship since Melbourne, the relationship has remained respectful and solid this season.
Dunne said he was comfortable with the decision to leave and seek an opportunity elsewhere.
“Well, I think, yes, it’s one of the best teams on the grid, but it also has probably the best driver line-up on the grid.
“And realistically, those two drivers are not going anywhere for a long time. And then the rest of the information that I have, I’m going to keep to myself.
“But no, I think it was a decision that we needed to make. It’s one that I was more than comfortable making. It was my decision, actually.
“So I think moving forward, we’re in the right place and we know where we want to be.”
Is the Alpine F1 academy the next destination for Alex Dunne
Once it had been announced that Alex Dunne was leaving McLaren, a move to the Red Bull programme seemed to be his path. However, according to the BBC, and information obtained independently by Pit Debrief, disagreements about signing him at the top of the organisation meant it fell through.
Following the Qatar weekend, the BBC reported Alex Dunne is in talks with Alpine F1. With Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly driving for them in 2026, Paul Aron is next in line at present.
However, the Irish driver and his team could potentially see more opportunities there. If Alpine struggle again next year, the chances of Pierre Gasly trying to find another team could be high. Franco Colapinto will need to be more consistent regarding pace versus his French teammate.
When asked on Thursday ahead of the Abu Dhabi round in a F2 media roundtable that included Pit Debrief whether he could comment on the reports of talks with Alpine F1 regarding joining their academy, Dunne came out with a simple “no“.
It remains to be seen if the Irish driver does join the Alpine squad. His F2 plans for 2026 are yet to be announced as well.
