McLaren announce Alex Dunne exit amid talk of 2026 F1 switch to rival team

Alex Dunne has left the McLaren junior driver programme, the team has announced. The news comes amid strong rumours that the Irish Formula 2 driver could be a target for those who have yet to finalise their Formula 1 driver line-ups for the 2026 season.

Dunne, 19, has emerged this year as a hot prospect in his debut F2 season. He has spent much of the year in the fight for the title, though is now just an outsider with two rounds remaining in the championship having slipped to fifth in the standings and 58 points adrift of leader Leonardo Fornaroli.

But the Irish teenager truly caught the eye during free practice outings with McLaren in an F1 car this year. In particular, during his debut in an F1 sessions, he posted the fourth quickest time in FP1 at the Austrian Grand Prix in June, which alerted many to his talents.

Dunne got another chance to show what he can do behind the wheel of an F1 car in first practice at the Italian Grand Prix last month. But now, amid much speculation over his future, McLaren have confirmed that he has been released from their young driver programme with immediate effect.

A statement from the team read: "McLaren Racing has ended its contract with McLaren Driver Development Programme member Alex Dunne. It has been a pleasure to work with Alex over the last year and to have been able to contribute to his success and growth as a driver through the McLaren Driver Development programme.

"Alex will be released with immediate effect. We wish Alex all the best for his career going forward."

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The news will only serve to strengthen speculation that Dunne might be picked up by another F1 team ahead of the 2026 season. Red Bull have yet to decide who will drive across their two teams next year, besides Max Verstappen, while Alpine have not made a final call over the identity of Pierre Gasly's team-mate.

Dunne has been linked with both but the strongest rumours have suggested he could be a target for Red Bull. It is understood chiefs have been impressed with the progress the young Irishman has made since stepping up to F2 and he could well be a target for their own driver development programme.

Such a move would not mean a 2026 race seat would be handed to Dunne straight away, especially as Red Bull already have too many candidates for their sister team Racing Bulls than they have places on the grid to give out. Isack Hadjar is likely to be promoted to the main outfit to partner Verstappen, while the respective futures of Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson remain up in the air.

British teenager Arvid Lindblad is likely to be the next young driver off the Red Bull production line and is also in contention for one of those Racing Bulls seats for next year. Such an outcome would already see one of Tsunoda or Lawson dropped altogether, while adding Dunne to the equation would raise the possibility of both losing their places on the F1 grid.