Irish prospect Alex Dunne, former development driver for McLaren, has been integrated as a member of the Alpine Academy in Formula 2 as a stepping stone to a Grand Prix career.
It was expected, it is now official: Alpine F1 Team has confirmed the arrival of Alex Dunne within its Alpine Academy, at the dawn of his second season in the FIA Formula 2 Championship with Rodin Motorsport.
Twenty years old and originally from Clonbullogue, Ireland, Dunne joins Alpine’s development program, designed to support young talents towards the highest level. He will sport the pink livery of Alpine sponsor BWT on his F2 car starting this weekend (photo above), as a curtain-raiser to the Australian Grand Prix.
A methodical rise
Trained in karting in Ireland, Dunne quickly stood out on the international scene by winning the WSK Champions Cup in the OK-J category in 2019. His move to single-seaters confirmed his potential: 11 victories and the title in the British Formula 4 Championship in 2022, along with a second place in Italian F4 the same year.
Runner-up in GB3 in 2023, he then debuted in the FIA Formula 3 Championship before taking a step up to F2. For his first full season, he finished fifth in the championship with two wins, two pole positions, and eight podiums. In 2025, he also discovered Formula 1 by taking part in two Free Practice 1 sessions with McLaren, the team that was then the reigning world champion.
The ambitions are clear
Alex Dunne is enthusiastic: “Very happy to join the Alpine Academy and take a new step in my career. I am extremely grateful to the team, which has placed its trust in me to represent its colors and the brand on the international stage in the FIA Formula 2 Championship.”
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“This category has established itself as the ideal framework to allow young drivers to progress towards professionalism. After being competitive in 2025, the goal this year is naturally to fight for the title, he says. Last year was a great experience in many ways. I learned a lot, I progressed a lot, and I also had to face challenges, but all of that allowed me to become a better driver and a better person.”
“I will give everything for Alpine as an Alpine Academy driver, he adds. It would be great to reward the team’s trust with victories and podiums, and I look forward to working with everyone in this new chapter of my career.”
Briatore’s support
For his part, Alpine F1 Team executive boss Flavio Briatore emphasizes: “We are delighted to welcome Alex as a member of our Alpine Academy. His performances in the Formula 2 Championship and his Free Practice sessions in Formula 1 last year were impressive. He is clearly a very talented young driver, with remarkable raw speed.”
With Dunne, Alpine further strengthens an already dense youth program, which includes reserve driver Paul Aron and the two F2 juniors Gabriele Mini and Kush Maini, in a context where pressure on Formula 1 seats remains particularly high.
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