McLaren have announced that they have terminated the contract of a highly-rated development driver less than 24 hours before the Singapore Grand Prix.
With just seven races left in the 2025 Formula One season, the pressure on McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to win the Drivers Championship is higher than ever.
Heading into this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix, Piastri is on top of the table with 324 points while his teammate Norris is 44 behind and reigning champion Max Verstappen is 69 points off the top spot.
After Verstappen claimed wins in the previous two race weekends, all eyes are on McLaren this weekend as fans are keen to see how the championship leaders respond to the Dutchman's late title charge.
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And with the spotlight on them, McLaren have made the shocking announcement that they have parted ways with a young driver in their development programme who has long been tipped to do great things in the sport.
Less than a day before practice begins in Singapore, McLaren have announced that they have parted ways with Irish driver Alex Dunne.
After challenging for the title in his debut F2 season, the 19-year-old has emerged as one of the most exciting prospects in motorsports, something he proved further during two free practice seasons in F1 this season.
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However, both McLaren and Dunne have confirmed that their time together is now over, creating speculation about the talented driver's future.
Posing on X, McLaren confirmed: "McLaren Racing has ended its contract with McLaren Driver Development Programme member Alex Dunne.
"It has been a pleasure to work with Alex over the last year and to contribute to his growth as a driver.
"We wish Alex all the best for his career going forward."
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In his own statement on Instagram, Dunne added: "From today I’ve mutually decided to part ways with the McLaren Driver Development programme.
"I’d like to thank every individual at McLaren that has helped me develop and improve as a driver, To have my first opportunity to drive an F1 car followed by two FP1 sessions is something I’ll always hold very close to my heart, I wish them all the best for the future.
"Thank you Papaya family. Still two important rounds left to focus on this year, very excited for what’s to come."
Alex Dunne linked with major move to McLaren's F1 rivals
The shock news of Dunne's sudden departure from McLaren comes following reports that Red Bull racing were considering bringing the 19-year-old into their driver lineup in the 2026 season.
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According to a report from GPblog, Red Bull had been keeping a close eye on Dunne’s situation with McLaren and held preliminary talks with the 19-year-old’s representatives after being impressed with his performances in F2 this season.
With both Norris and Piastri are locked signed on as McLaren's driver until at least 2028, it is therefore possible that Dunne's preliminary talks with Red Bull inspired him to make the move ahead of next season.
Dunne's potential arrival at Red Bull could even set of a series of events that could see him racing in F1 next season, taking Isack Hadjar's seat at Racing Bull if the youngster is promoted to Red Bull, replacing the struggling Yuki Tsunoda.
Topics: Formula 1, Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, Red Bull Racing
Ben McCrum