Alex Palou has opened up about the ongoing situation between himself and McLaren, describing it as “sad.”
While he refrained from providing extensive details, Palou indicated that he plans to share more about the matter after the current racing season concludes.
The IndyCar driver’s remarks shed light on his perspective on the contractual tussle that has garnered attention in recent times.
This marks the second year in a row that Alex Palou has been embroiled in a contract saga involving McLaren.
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In 2022, Palou aimed to switch from Chip Ganassi Racing to McLaren for the 2023 season, but contractual obligations with CGR led him to stay with the team for that year, with a plan to join McLaren in 2024.
However, the situation took a turn when McLaren’s CEO, Zak Brown, revealed that Palou had expressed no intention of honouring his contract with the team beyond 2023, leading to legal action by McLaren against Palou and his business entity.
While Palou refrained from divulging specific details, he hinted at the complexity of the situation, saying, “I think someday I’ll write a story, and maybe a book, so everybody knows what was going on since ’22 and ’23, each month.
“But yeah, for now, I’m not gonna give a lot of information.”
He expressed a desire to explain the circumstances more thoroughly after the racing season concludes, suggesting that it wouldn’t be beneficial to share more at this moment.
In response to speculation that McLaren is seeking a substantial amount from him, Palou expressed confusion and skepticism about the reported figures, likening it to a hypothetical scenario.
He emphasised that legal matters are in the hands of lawyers and focused on maintaining his concentration on racing. “So I can only lose concentration on the races and all that stuff.”
As the McLaren chapter seems to close for Palou, Pato O’Ward and Colton Herta have emerged as likely contenders to occupy the team’s two young driver FP1 slots for the remainder of the season.
When asked if he was disappointed about missing out on further F1 opportunities, Palou clarified that he wasn’t personally disappointed, as McLaren had given him opportunities in the past.
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Regarding the potential impact of the ongoing dispute on his future in Formula 1, Palou remarked, “I would say it’s just sad. I would have liked to have done things differently.
“But it’s not been that way. And I’m just sad the way it’s worked out.
“But yeah, I cannot really change it and just change everything and colour it and make it a little more nice. It’s not that way.”