Alex Dunne joins Alpine Driver Academy ahead of 2026 Formula 2 season

Written by Vyas Ponnuri

Rodin Motorsport's Alex Dunne becomes the newest member of the Alpine Driver Academy, the junior wing of the Alpine F1 Team. Having turned up to pre-season testing with a pink Alpine livery, this was finally announced by the team ahead of the upcoming F2 weekend in Albert Park.

Dunne finished fifth in F2 in 2025 | Credit: Formula 1

Dunne becomes the third F2 driver to be a part of the French team's junior wing — alongside ART's Kush Maini and MP Motorsport's Gabriele Minì. DAMS Formula 3 racer Nicola Lacorte and MP Motorsport's Nina Gademan make up the quintet taking part in Formula 1's support series in 2026.

The 20-year-old expressed his happiness to join the French team's junior driver line-up, and spoke of building on his positive 2025 season and fighting for the championship as a rookie.

“I am really happy to be joining the Alpine Academy and making this next step in my racing career. I am very grateful for the trust the team has in me to represent the team and the brand on the global stage in FIA Formula 2, which has proven to be the perfect place to progress young drivers into professional racing roles," Dunne said, speaking on the latest news.

"Naturally, after a competitive season in 2025, the goal this year is to fight for the Drivers’ Championship. Last year was a great experience on many fronts. Lots learned, lots gained, some challenges along the way, but everything has made me a better driver, a better person, and I aim to give my all for Alpine and doing my best as an Alpine Academy driver.

"It would be great to reward the team for their faith with wins and podiums and I am excited to work together with everyone in this next chapter of my career.”

Dunne had previously served as a member of the McLaren Driver Development Programme, and had even competed in FP1 at Austria in 2025.

The Irishman opted to leave the driver academy midway through the season after the announcements of McLaren's championship-contending duo in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri confirmed their long-term futures with the team, effectively reducing his chances to move up to the papaya team in a race seat.

"For me, the goal, of course, is to be in F1 and be a world champion, and I think having a future

in becoming an F1 driver with McLaren, I felt like was becoming less and less possible

because Lando (Norris) and Oscar (Piastri) had just re-signed their contracts and they were going to be there for a few more years," Dunne said, speaking to media ahead of the season.

"So, it was it was actually my decision. And I felt it was a change that was needed to pursue my dream of being an F1 driver, and I think it was the right one to make," he continued.

"There's only there's only twenty two drivers in F1, and it's very, very difficult to find your spot. So I think it was one that needed to be made," Dunne concluded, on his decision to leave the McLaren stable.

Dunne would later find himself in the midst of a chaotic spell, being linked to the Red Bull Junior Team and signing a deal with Helmut Marko, before this deal was called off after the Austrian supremo's departure from the team.

2026 represents an excellent chance for Dunne to battle for the championship, as he seeks to build on a strong rookie campaign that yielded victories in Bahrain and Imola, along with six further podium finishes across the season. He would eventually finish fifth in the standings, albeit 61 points off eventual champion Leonardo Fornaroli.

Dunne will be racing alongside McLaren junior Martinius Stenshorne in 2026, as he reps the colours of the pink Alpine team going into the new season.