McLaren announce shock Alex Dunne split as Red Bull option looms

Alex Dunne and McLaren have parted ways with immediate effect, with the Irish driver linked with a switch to another team on the F1 grid.

McLaren and Alex Dunne have confirmed they have parted ways, with Dunne having been part of the McLaren Driver Development Programme.

McLaren and Alex Dunne split

Dunne was signed to McLaren’s Driver Development programme while in F3 in 2024, and has since risen to become one of the leading lights of the 2025 Formula 2 Championship.

While misfortunes have compromised an outright championship challenge, Dunne has become a frequent winner and consistent frontrunner to put his name forward for an F1 promotion for next season, particularly off the back of a stellar performance in FP1 for McLaren in his first F1 outing in Austria.

However, there has been no clear route forward for Dunne, with the two McLaren F1 seats taken for the foreseeable future by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

There has also not been an obvious alternative at which McLaren could place its promising junior in F1, meaning Dunne has been left evaluating what’s best for his future, with the impetus being on a step up to Formula 1 rather than another season in F2.

“From today, I’ve mutually decided to part ways with the McLaren Driver Development programme,” Dunne said in a post on social media.

“I’d like to thank every individual at McLaren who has helped me develop and improve as a driver. To have my first opportunity to drive an F1 car, followed by two FP1 sessions, is something I’ll always hold very close to my heart. I wish them all the best for the future. Thank you, Papaya family. Still two important rounds left to focus on this year, very excited for what’s to come.”

Dunne had been in line for further FP1 outings and a post-season rookie test with McLaren, but disagreement over the best path forward for Dunne is understood to have led to some tensions setting in.

Dunne’s likely destination is at Red Bull, where he is understood to have attracted the interest of Red Bull Racing team director Helmut Marko, who also serves as the talent spotter for the two Red Bull outfits.

The Irish driver has met with Marko in recent races, as revealed by PlanetF1.com, although initial discussions were for the purposes of introductions, rather than with an eye to discussing 2026 programmes.

Racing Bulls, the Red Bull sister team, is yet to confirm its driver line-up for F1 2026, with the expectation having been that it could be Liam Lawson and junior driver Arvid Lindblad next year, with Lindblad stepping up from F2 to backfill Isack Hadjar’s seat, assuming the French driver does step up to Red Bull in place of Yuki Tsunoda.

However, Dunne is understood to be of considerable interest to Red Bull, although it’s believed nothing is yet signed. If Dunne is being considered for an F1 race seat, this could mean that Lindblad’s position is less certain than thought.

The suddenness of Dunne’s departure from McLaren could indicate that there are plans for Dunne to take part in testing and weekend FP1 sessions with Racing Bulls before the end of 2025.

When approached for comment, a Red Bull spokesperson said, “Alex is a talented driver and will be of interest to many in the paddock, but Red Bull will only comment on drivers who are signed to the Red Bull programme.”

Dunne has also been linked with Alpine in recent months, but it’s understood Flavio Briatore’s team is only looking internally at the likes of Paul Aron as a possible replacement for Franco Colapinto, if the team does decide on a driver change for next season.

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