Should he stay or should he go: Alex Dunne contemplating move to IndyCar racing in the US

For all the speculation this week linking Alex Dunne with a potential move to IndyCar racing in the US there is a part of his decision which may yet be taken out of his hands.

Ahead of the final two rounds in the 2026 Formula 2 season, Dunne has got himself right back into contention for the overall drivers’ championship, topping the podium in the first feature race in Baku last month. He currently sits 18 points behind leader Rafael Camara, and just 11 points behind second-placed Nikola Tsolov, with the concluding rounds set for Qatar on November 27^th/28^th, then Abu Dhabi the following weekend.

Despite some ongoing concern about whether those final two rounds will go ahead, due to the US-Iran war, for now they are still scheduled. If Dunne does manage to close the gap on Camara and win the drivers’ title outright, that would prevent him from returning to the Formula 2 championship in 2027. In his debut season, last year, Dunne was leading the title race going into the seventh of the 14 rounds, before finishing fifth overall.

For the Offaly driver, who turns 21 next month, the ultimate target is a seat in Formula 1, ideally for the 2027 season. The opportunities for Dunne to step up next year, however, are appearing increasingly thin: Camara, the 21-year-old from Brazil, earlier this month confirmed his move to the US-based Haas team for his Formula 1 debut, while second-placed Tsolov, the 19-year-old from Bulgaria, is widely expected to become the reserve driver with Red Bull for 2027.

Against that backdrop, Dunne took part in his first IndyCar testing at the Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama on Monday, with the Dale Coyne Racing team, who have yet to confirm their two driver positions ahead of the 2027 IndyCar season, starting next March. In all, there are still four seats undecided, and one of these may yet prove to be the “next best option” for Dunne.

“The car, the track, everything, I loved it all,” Dunne said of his first IndyCar experience, in an interview with US outlet Racer. “To be honest, the car was super cool. I think it’s definitely got quite a bit more power, a lot more downforce than what I’m used to.

“To jump in, and be comfortable pretty quickly, I really enjoyed it.”

Dunne clocked the fastest time in the morning session, which also included US-born Conor Daly, son of former Irish Formula 1 driver Derek. Daly has already secured a seat in the 2027 IndyCar season with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.

“I definitely like what I what I’ve seen so far,” added Dunne. “IndyCar has always been a series that’s interested me. I think naturally, with the path that I’ve been on and what I’ve worked towards, the goal will always be to be a Formula 1 driver.

“But I think there comes a time when, realistically, that chance becomes more difficult, and I’ve always said that the next best option for me and the thing I’d love to do most has always been IndyCar.”

If Dunne finishes the Formula 2 season in second place, or lower, he is still free to return for the 2027 season, a move which his team Rodin Motorsport appear keen to support. Three days before the 2026 season start in Melbourne, Dunne also agreed a deal to join the Alpine F1 Team academy.

But there’s been no indication of him stepping up into their Formula 1 line-up next year (Pierre Gasly from France is contracted until the end of 2028, with Franco Colapinto from Argentina signing an extension for 2027).

As things stand, his Formula 2 championship total of 189 points (behind Camara on 207, and Tsolov on 200) still leaves him well in contention to win the title outright, with each of the last two rounds offering a total of 39 points.

A top-three finish in Formula 2 this season would also secure the Super Licence points Dunne needs to race in Formula 1. Still all to drive for.