Red Bull have reportedly held talks with McLaren junior prodigy Alex Dunne with the intention of placing him in the Racing Bulls squad for the 2026 season. The Irish starlet has dazzled in Formula Two this season and impressed F1 bosses with a confident and fast performance in FP1 at the Austrian Grand Prix. Dunne then made his second practice appearance on Friday ahead of the Italian Grand Prix, replacing Drivers’ Championship leader Oscar Piastri.
According to a report from GPblog, Dunne is a target for Red Bull representatives, who have already held negotiations with the 19-year-old’s management team. Any move for the teenager would see him placed in the Racing Bulls squad for the 2026 season, with a spot likely to open up at the end of the year.
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Marko was asked about the Offaly-born racer in the Monza paddock, and his reply kept Red Bull’s options open. “We are talking with all fast drivers, and he is fast,” the Austrian explained.
The current Racing Bulls line-up comprises Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson, but the duo’s whereabouts for 2026 are currently undecided. The former, who scored his maiden F1 podium at the Dutch Grand Prix last time out, is being heavily linked with a Red Bull seat as Yuki Tsunoda continues to struggle alongside Max Verstappen.
Lawson, meanwhile, is in a difficult position. He has scored top-eight finishes in his last five Grand Prix starts, but that has not bolstered his chances of sealing a return to the Red Bull team that dumped him two rounds into the 2025 campaign.
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Dunne’s chances of jumping into F1 with Racing Bulls will be impacted by the form of Red Bull’s 17-year-old starlet Arvid Lindblad, who is currently two spots behind the Irishman in the F2 standings.
If he continues to punch in strong FP1 sessions, though, Dunne’s stock will only continue to rise. "I don't think it was quite as strong as Austria, but it's been a long time since I've been in the car, and you need a lot of confidence just to jump in," the McLaren junior prodigy said on Friday.
"I'm still generally happy with how the session went. It was quite smooth. I think there's still a couple of areas to work on, but that's to be expected. Overall, I'm quite happy."