Irish Formula 2 title challenger Alex Dunne has completed an IndyCar test in Alabama as he considers a move to the USA in 2027.
The Alpine junior driver is locked in a three-way fight for the F2 title, which supports Formula 1 on Grand Prix weekends. The 20-year-old has one win and nine podiums in his second F2 season and sits 18 points behind F1-bound leader Rafael Camara, with two more rounds scheduled in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. With seats in F1 limited for 2027, Dunne tested for Dale Coyne Racing at Barber Motorsports Park on Monday. He has also been linked to a third F2 season, but if he wins the championship he cannot return to the series next year.
Dunne posted the fastest time in a morning session that included American-born Conor Daly, son of former Irish Formula 1 driver Derek Daly. Dale Coyne Racing has not announced its 2027 driver plans, and American teenager Nikita Johnson also tested on Monday. "The car, the track, everything. I loved it all," Dunne told 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."
IndyCar is the leading open-wheel series in the USA, and former Formula 1 drivers including Mick Schumacher, Marcus Ericsson and Romain Grosjean raced in it last year. Its biggest event, the Indianapolis 500, draws more than 230,000 spectators each May and is one of motorsport's 'Triple Crown' events alongside the Monaco Grand Prix and the Le Mans 24 Hours. The 2027 calendar will return to Europe with a round in Barcelona in July. Despite only one morning test, Dunne said he "definitely likes what I've seen so far," adding that his ultimate goal remains Formula 1 but that IndyCar has always been his next-best option. Portadown's Adam Carroll was the last driver from the island of Ireland to race in IndyCar, competing in two races in 2010.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing