Dunne deal? Why Red Bull cannot miss out on motorsport’s most exciting talent

It’s time to advocate for Alex Dunne. Not just because some of us here on the GPFans desk enjoy working his name into puns from time-to-time. No, because he’s Red Bull’s best F1 hope for the future.

For those of you unfamiliar with the young driver who hails from Ireland, Dunne is currently competing in the Formula 2 championship where he has won two races, while also enjoying a glistening junior career.

The youngster has also taken part in two FP1 sessions for McLaren, including an impressive fourth place in Austria on his F1 session debut.

Recently Dunne and McLaren parted ways, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri not moving aside anytime soon to leave space for the driver; but with Red Bull undecided on their 2026 driver lineup, the Irish star is the best hope for their future.

Red Bull’s second driver dilemma is a tale as old as time, with the likes of Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and now Yuki Tsunoda all failing to live up to the expectations placed on the seat.

While Red Bull have not decided whether it will be Tsunoda, Lawson, Isack Hadjar or Arvid Lindblad lining up at both the main and their sister team in 2026, it feels amiss that Dunne is not also under serious consideration.

Why Alex Dunne should join the Red Bull family

Now, of course Dunne shouldn’t be promoted to Red Bull straight away, rather he should be given an opportunity to find his feet at Racing Bulls.

Tsunoda and Lawson’s struggles at Red Bull this year have proven that even if a driver has grown up within their talent pool, they are not necessarily equipped to deal with the challenge of the main seat. While Hadjar has impressed at Racing Bulls in 2025, there is no guarantee he too won’t follow a similar trajectory to that of his predecessors, whose reputations have plummeted since their respective promotions.

Dunne on the other hand, is fresh. A driver who has grown with McLaren under a different driver development program, which surely means he has something new and interesting to offer Red Bull. He also is unencumbered by the expectation placed on a Red Bull driver as soon as they sign that contract, and that separation from the junior system could work to Dunne's advantage.

A new face, with a different outlook has even revitalised the team in the past. When Sergio Perez joined Red Bull from Racing Point in 2021 he proved to be the perfect number two to Verstappen, and arguably his axe now appears premature after Tsunoda and Lawson's 2025.

Dunne’s performances themselves also advocate for him of course, and the Irishman remains the only driver in F2 to stand out this year, at least from a personal perspective.

While Dunne only sits fifth in the standings, his points do not reflect the performances he has put in this year, including a masterclass at Spa during the Belgian GP weekend.

After securing pole position on the Friday, Dunne mastered the wet conditions to take his third F2 race win of the season, only to be penalised 10 seconds as he ‘did not engage the start set-up procedure at the start of the formation lap’. At Imola, Dunne battled his way from fifth on the grid to take the feature race win, and dominated to secure his first ever F2 victory in Bahrain.

Still, a driver can enjoy an impressive junior career and then struggle in F1. But, honestly for Red Bull, are the alternatives any better for the Racing Bulls seat?

Lawson and Tsunoda we've already covered, but Red Bull’s next best prospect in F2 Lindblad doesn't exactly fill you with confidence either.

Speaking to the media after his FP1 stint at the Mexican GP, where he set the sixth fastest time in the Red Bull ahead of Tsunoda, Lindblad delivered an uncertain response as to whether he was ready for the call-up.

“I've come through the ranks fast. I'm used to being thrown in the deep end and figuring it out. To sit here and tell you now if I'm ready, I don't know, but I've got that experience. I believe in myself that, if that's the case, I'll find a way,” he said.

Sometimes it is good to be realistic about your chances. But to survive in the F1 pressure cooker, confidence is paramount, and doubt cannot be allowed to creep in. Lindblad doesn't sound ready for F1.

Red Bull have an important decision to make for 2026. Not only will their four drivers dictate their success next year, but also the form their team takes in the future.

Retaining Lawson and Tsunoda at Racing Bulls may ensure stability in 2026, but that’s not the purpose of the team. The sister team exists to give an opportunity to new and exciting talent, an arena for them to develop and prepare for the Red Bull.

Lawson and Tsunoda have proven they are not up to it. Instead, Racing Bulls should take a gamble on Dunne and Lindblad for 2026, to inject some fresh and exciting talent back into the team. Yes, it is a gamble and could cost Racing Bulls crucial points next year.

On the other hand, an exciting talent like Dunne could transform the team and begin to build strength and depth within Red Bull's young driver lineup once again. And crucially, one day, help Verstappen develop a championship winning car.

READ MORE: Red Bull boss announces three race SHOOTOUT for 2026 seat

Related