After the surprising ending of his collaboration with McLaren, Alexander Dunne could soon dock at Red Bull. Helmut Marko confirms more than clearly that the 19-year-old ire is on the team’s radar.
“Alex Dunne is a very faster, aggressive, young driver, fits Red Bull,” says Marko at “Sky”. “And because that he is now absolutely free, released in agreement with McLaren, of course, this is someone with whom we talk safely.”
Red Bull’s motorsport consultant reacts to the news that Dunne and McLaren ended their junior partnership with immediate effect. The youngster, currently in his first Formula 2 season, sees his perspectives blocked in the papaya colors: Lando Norris and Oscar Piatri are set there in the long term.
Dunne is considered quick and above all disrespectful. Sometimes he shoots over the destination when he drove off the track in the Formula 2 race in Monza Kush Maini in the Curva Grande so that the Indian had to give up the race. Ultimately, incidents like this cause that he will probably not get the title this year (there is still a mathematical opportunity). But these are things that can be turned off.
Super license for 2026 difficult
Marko confirms this: “He is a very aggressive driver, has a fantastic vehicle control and is quick. Red Bull likes something like that – and of course we will have conversations with him.”
His successful Formula 2 season with two wins and five other podium places, whereby he even led the table in the meantime, is a bit surprising. In Formula 3, he did not get beyond the 14th championship rank the year before.
Therefore, he is currently missing important super licensing points, which are likely to block his way into Formula 1 for 2026. The 19-year-old has already contested two free training sessions for McLaren, but after this season he loses a large part of his accumulated points from 2022.
In order to secure the license, Dunne would have to end the Formula 2 season at least as a third party. He is currently fifth. He lacks 21 points on Richard Verzor and a total of 31 points on the third-placed Williams-Junior Luke Browning on two outstanding race weekends in Qatar and Abu Dhabi each with two races.
Marko therefore emphasizes: “He has no super license. Let’s see. There are two weekends in Formula 2nd times see what he can achieve.” Another year in the youth series, possibly combined with test inserts and TPC trips for Red Bull, appears realistic.
At the same time, there are further decisions in the Red Bull squad: While Isack Hadjar is facing a team before transportation, Arvid Lindblad is considered a candidate for a cockpit at Racing Bulls from 2026.
A new addition such as Dunne would correspond to Markos preferred strategy – always have another hope wearer in the hindquarters in order to put pressure on the current driver.