Alpine confirmed the entry of Alex Dunne into its driver Academy this Wednesday (04), shortly before the opening of the 2026 season. The Irishman officially joins the French team’s development program, with ambitious goals already set for the championship.
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A former member of the McLaren structure, Dunne raced in 2025 for the Formula 2 team linked to the current Formula 1 champion, and secured victory in the Sprint race in Bahrain. The season, however, also had difficult moments, such as involvement in a seven-car accident in Monaco, an episode followed by online attacks directed at the driver.
In addition to the F2 season, he also served as a reserve driver for McLaren in Formula E, but was released by the British team at the end of 2025, leaving his future uncertain until the Alpine announcement.
With the new deal, the Rodin car in F2 will display Alpine colors starting from the first round of the championship, while the stated goal is a direct fight for the title.
“I am very happy to join the Alpine Academy and take this next step in my career,” Dunne said in a statement released by the team. “I am very grateful for the trust the team has in me to represent the team and the brand on the global Formula 2 stage, which has proven to be the perfect place to develop young drivers toward professional roles in motorsport.”
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The Irishman made it clear that the goal for 2026 is high: “Naturally, after a competitive season in 2025, the goal this year is to fight for the drivers’ title. Last year was a great experience in many ways. I learned a lot, evolved a lot, faced some challenges, but all of that made me a better driver and a better person. I want to give everything for Alpine and do my best as an Academy driver. It would be great to reward the team for their trust with wins and podiums,” the young driver concluded.
Flavio Briatore, Alpine’s executive advisor, highlighted Dunne’s performances in both Formula 2 and Formula 1 free practice sessions, held in Austria and Monza last year, as decisive factors for the signing.
“We are pleased to welcome Alex as a member of our Academy. His performances in Formula 2 and also in the F1 FP1 sessions last year were impressive. He is clearly a very talented young driver, with pure and natural speed,” the advisor stated.
Briatore also highlighted the strength of Alpine’s driver group in F2, which includes Gabriele Mini and Kush Maini. According to him, the goal for 2026 is clear: “Temos um grupo talentoso na Fórmula 2 e esperamos ver os três competindo nesta temporada, onde o objetivo é muito claro: vencer o campeonato de pilotos”, completou.
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