Red Bull confirm talks with ‘very fast’ driver after bombshell F1 announcement | F1 | Sport

Helmut Marko has confirmed that discussions have taken place between Red Bull representatives and Alex Dunne. The Irish teenager’s contract as a McLaren junior driver was terminated ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

Dunne is currently fifth in the Formula Two standings with two race weekends remaining in 2025. The 19-year-old caught the attention of the Formula One paddock in Austria when, on his FP1 debut with McLaren, he finished just fractionally slower than team-mate and current World Championship leader Oscar Piastri.

Despite his promising practice outing, with Piastri and Lando Norris both tied down to long-term contracts, Dunne’s prospects within McLaren’s F1 project were unclear. Now, he is unattached as he navigates the closing stages of the F2 season.

On Thursday, McLaren published a statement on Dunne’s future. It 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.”

The decision to release Dunne generated plenty of speculation. Many viewed the announcement as confirmation that he was in talks with another F1 party. This is consistent with McLaren’s recent stance on junior talents, as Gabriel Bortoleto was released to pursue a full-time seat with Sauber, where he is now excelling.

Now, Marko has confirmed that Red Bull holds an interest in the Offaly-born racer. “We’re in discussions, now that he’s free,” he confirmed to BBC Sport. “He’s very aggressive, fast and has good car control. He’s making lots of mistakes as well, at the moment. But he’s very like a Red Bull driver.”

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Dunne had reportedly been in discussions with Alpine, although those talks have now subsided. Instead, if he puts pen to paper with Red Bull, he would likely spend a sophomore year in the F2 series while Laurent Mekies’ squad assess their options.

Currently, the Red Bull driver roster is experiencing something of a talent bottleneck. Isack Hadjar is cautiously optimistic about his chances of a promotion in 2026, while Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson have both shown promise with Racing Bulls, only to flounder in the spotlight alongside Max Verstappen.

Then there is teenage Brit Arvid Lindblad, who appears destined for a speedy promotion into the Faenza-based sister squad in 2026. That is despite the 18-year-old having scored just four point-paying finishes in his last 12 outings in F2. Where Dunne fits into the puzzle remains to be seen.