Alex Dunn is close to joining Red Bull.

      On Thursday McLaren’s press office issued an unexpected press release announcing the termination of the contract with a member of its junior programme, Alex Dunn. The British team did not explain the reasons for the decision, but BBC Sport managed to learn some details of the split.

      According to journalists, the parties failed to reach an agreement on the next steps for Dunn’s career that would satisfy both the team and the driver. At the same time, Alex’s managers were negotiating with Alpine over a potential move to Formula 1, but informed sources say those talks led nowhere.

      However, there is a high likelihood that Dunn will end up in Red Bull’s junior programme. In that scenario he would continue racing in Formula 2 next season with the possibility of making his Formula 1 debut in 2027 with Racing Bulls.

      A Red Bull spokesperson, asked about the prospects of cooperation with Alex Dunn, replied: “Alex is a talented driver who is of interest to many in the paddock. However, Red Bull will only comment on drivers who are already part of our programme.”