Alex Dunne has joined the Alpine Academy ahead of his second season in the Formula 2 Championship.
The Irishman, driving for Rodin Motorsport in the upcoming campaign, has now been confirmed as a fully-fledged member of Alpine’s young driver programme following his exit from McLaren’s Driver Development Programme in October last year.
The 20-year-old participated in two Free Practice 1 sessions for McLaren at last year’s Austrian and Italian Grands Prix – his outing in Spielberg particularly caught the eye as he posted the fourth fastest time of the session.
Now, Dunne is part of the Alpine family and will sport the team’s livery on his F2 car when the season begins in Australia this upcoming weekend.
He will also have eyes on the 2026 title having impressed in his debut campaign in F2, scoring two wins, two pole positions and eight podiums overall on his way to fifth place in the standings.
“I am really happy to be joining the Alpine Academy and making this next step in my racing career,” Dunne said. “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.
“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.”
Flavio Briatore, Alpine Executive Advisor, added: “We are pleased to welcome Alex to Alpine as a member of our Academy. His performances in FIA Formula 2 and also his Free Practice sessions in Formula 1 last year were impressive and he is clearly a very talented young driver with pure, natural speed.
“We have a talented pool of drivers in Formula 2 with Gabriele Mini and Kush Maini. We look forward to watching the three of them compete in FIA Formula 2 in 2026 where the goal is very clear: to win the Drivers’ Championship.”
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