Alex Dunne, in his first Formula 2 weekend since leaving McLaren's junior programme, claimed a podium in Qatar [Getty Images]Andy Gray - BBC Sport NI JournalistSun, November 30, 2025 at 2:01 PM UTC·2 min readIreland's Alex Dunne finished in third place in the Formula 2 feature race in Qatar as Leonardo Fornaroli took the title with a round to spare.
The 20-year-old Fornaroli finished second behind race winner Victor Martins, although there was an investigation into Arvid Lindblad for a safety car infringement.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementItalian Fornaroli joins current F1 drivers George Russell, Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc by winning the Formula 3 and Formula 2 championships in consecutive years.
For Dunne, it was an eighth podium of the season for the Rodin Motorsport driver as he overcame a five second penalty.
It was a first Formula 2 weekend for the 20-year-old since his surprise departure from McLaren's Driver Development Programme in October.
After a fifth-placed finish in the sprint race on Saturday, Dunne made a strong start in Sunday's 32-lap race as he passed Ollie Goethe into the first corner of the race.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe then made a superb move around the outside of Roman Stanek at the first corner on the fifth lap to move up to third, but picked up a five-second penalty for an unsafe release when he made his mandatory pit stop.
Dunne had fallen behind Red Bull Junior Lindblad at the safety car, but made a bold move up the inside of the English driver with five laps to go and looked to pull a five-second buffer to the cars behind.
He managed to pull the gap required to Lindblad with a lap to spare, but third place wasn't enough to keep his slim title hopes alive as Fornaroli took the crown.
The final round of the Formula 2 season takes place in Abu Dhabi on 6-7 December.
Dunne 'very like a Red Bull driver', says Marko