Alex Palou says McLaren misled him in chasing his F1 dreams
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McLaren Racing are seeking some US$20 million from the 28-year-old Alex Palou after he backed out of a move three years ago.
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LONDON – Four-time IndyCar Series champion Alex Palou told a High Court hearing on Oct 10 that racing in Formula One was his dream but a contract he signed with McLaren in 2022, and then broke, was “based on lies and false impressions”.
The Spaniard, who won the Indianapolis 500 in May, said in a witness statement that he now believes Formula One was used by current champions McLaren as a “negotiating tactic” to persuade him to sign for their less competitive IndyCar team.
McLaren Racing are seeking some US$20 million (S$25.9 million) from the 28-year-old after he backed out of a move three years ago and stayed with the Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) outfit.
The driver has admitted breach of contract but argues he owes nothing.
“My motivation in signing the March 2022 McLaren contract was that I had just won my first IndyCar Championship... and I thought it was still a good time in my young career to get to F1 and try and have a chance there,” said Palou.
“After I won the IndyCar championship, I thought it would be tough, but feasible to get a chance in F1.”
Palou said everything changed with McLaren when Australian Oscar Piastri, the current F1 championship leader, announced on Twitter that he was replacing compatriot Daniel Ricciardo for the 2023 season.
Despite that, Palou signed another contract with McLaren after being assured by McLaren boss Zak Brown that F1 remained a possibility.
“Zak told me in various conversations we had in person, including during the time I was testing with McLaren at the track in September and October 2022, that he really loves IndyCar and wanted to get a driver from IndyCar to F1,” he said.
“Zak told me he believed we could make it happen and that he would give me all the preparation I needed to be an F1 driver for McLaren.”
Palou added that Brown told him over dinner in October 2022 that it was not his decision to sign Piastri, but that of now-departed principal Andreas Seidl.
The Spaniard revealed he discussed a potential AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls) seat with Red Bull’s motorsport consultant Helmut Marko in June 2023, as his McLaren hopes dimmed. Marko inquired about the cost of securing his release from McLaren, but after speaking with Brown, the interest fizzled out.
Brown, attending the hearing after being questioned on Oct 7 and 8, smiled and occasionally shook his head during the session.
Accused by McLaren’s counsel Paul Goulding of being the one stringing the team along, and signing an IndyCar contract he had no intention of fulfilling, Palou replied: “Absolutely not. I think you’re twisting the story.”
The hearing will resume on Oct 20 with closing submissions due on Nov 5. REUTERS
