McLaren quickly made an impact with young driver Alex Dunn after failing to reach an agreement on future opportunities for the Irishman.
Dan was particularly impressed as a member of McLaren’s Formulaen driver development program, especially when he made his FP1 debut with the Austrian team earlier this year. F2 rookie Dan won two of his first four feature races, but his form was soaked, and now Championship leader Leonardo Fornaroli is a 58-point drift, 58-point drift.
The racers understand that McLaren tried to agree to terms to continue Dan, but what was offered was not considered acceptable, and the decision was made to terminate the 19-year-old’s contract early, amid potential interest from Red Bull.
“It was a joy to work with Alex last year to contribute to my success and growth as a driver through the McLaren Driver Development Program,” McLaren’s statement read. “Alex will be released instantly. Alex is perfect for his upcoming career.”
McLaren currently has both Oscar Piastri and Rand Norris under long-term contracts, and the team is likely to close out their second consecutive Constructors Championship this weekend in Singapore.
Dan is believed to have attracted interest from Red Bull, and the Laurent Mekies team is working on the lineup alongside Max Verstappen, seeking to identify options in the driver market before pairing with the 2026 Racing Bulls.
