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Alex Dunne

Alex Dunne close to new F1 team deal after sudden McLaren exit - report

A shock announcement on Thursday saw McLaren and Alex Dunne part ways - so what next for the F1 hopeful?

Dunne
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Alex Dunne is on the verge of reaching a deal to join the Red Bull junior programme, according to a report.

McLaren and Dunne announced on Thursday that they had parted ways with immediate effect after almost a year in collaboration.

Dunne was handed two FP1 outings this year with the Woking-based squad, as well as private tests in older machinery.

RacingNews365 understands that Dunne and McLaren were not aligned when it came to the direction of the Irishman's career.

McLaren currently has two young drivers in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, both of whom are tied down to long-term deals.

Following confirmation that Dunne is no longer under contract at McLaren, BBC Sport has stated that Dunne is close to agreeing a deal to join Red Bull's driver academy.

Should that be the case, the report details that Dunne would stay in Formula 2 for another season in 2026 with the hope of gaining a promotion to F1 in 2027 with Racing Bulls.

It also states that Dunne was in talks with Alpine over an F1 move, but such negotiations have collapsed.

Red Bull's junior programme has handed a route to F1 for many drivers, including four-time champion Max Verstappen and current drivers Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly, who have moved on to other teams.

Dunne currently sits fifth in the F2 drivers' standings with two rounds to go.

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