Alex Palou faces 21 million dollar lawsuit against McLaren. Photo RacePictures

Disgruntled champion delivers charged claim in tense McLaren trial

19:05, 10 Oct

Updated: 19:56, 10 Oct

byNorberto Mujica

IndyCar champion Alex Palou has accused McLaren CEO Zak Brown of misleading him regarding his chances of being an F1 driver and has admitted to the financial difficulties of paying for the damages resulting from the breach of his McLaren contract breach.

[But] from what I have heard in the last days, apparently he [Mr Brown] makes all the choices. That was not what he told me.

- Alex Palou

Palou is currently locked in a legal battle with McLaren pertaining his breached contract with the Woking-based team. The amount in damages McLaren seeks, the Spanird argues, is simply a number he does not have.

He testified: “As we have seen the big numbers that have been claimed in this matter is something that I do not have as a person, as a driver.

“There is no way I would have had the amount of money and expenses just to be here today.

“Although there is that indemnity, as a driver, I know I am not being paid the amount of other drivers. I am not in the top three of the highest paid drivers and I am not going to be for the foreseeable future… for this indemnity."

Zak Brown in front of the McLaren garage - Photo: Race Pictures

Prior to his commitment with McLaren Palou had an ongoing contract with Chip Ganassi Racing, which impossibilitated him from signing the deal offered by Brown, despite an exit clause present in his IndyCar agreement with CGR.

“I found out my lawyers knew about the clause but Mr Brown was paying my lawyers,” said Palou. “Mr Brown knew I could not sign that contract."

It was then Palou found himself at a crossroads.

“At that moment, I either fight with CGR, the team who have given me the opportunity to be IndyCar champion – they had all the team around me.

“Or I go and breach with a person who has been misleading me and where I have not been having these opportunities.”

Palou then assured that he would have been more than happy to give up his full-time race seat in IndyCar for a reserve role at McLaren's F1 team in pursuit of reaching the pinnacle of motorsport.

Palou: "Brown wanted to get an Indycar driver into F1 and be successful"

According to Palou Brown's goal was to mimic what Mario Andretti had done in 1978, complete a successful transition from Indycar to Formula 1.

“He wanted to get an IndyCar driver into Formula 1 and be successful,” said Palou. “That is something that had been done a long time ago with Mario Andretti.

“He was a big fan of IndyCar and motor sports. It’s the only team in the IndyCar series that has the ability to take a driver from IndyCar and put them into Formula 1. That is what he told me the idea was.”

Alex Palou with McLaren at the 2022 US Grand Prix - Photo: Race Pictures

According to Palou everything was outlined in his McLaren contract.

“It was all referenced in the F1 contract. If you see the salary, it is the salary for the first season. The season here was going to be doing F1 testing, F1 reserve. Then, in the following years, it says, ‘In case the F1 option was not done’.”

According to the Spaniard the wording of the terms pointed to him reaching Formula 1 as the “primary idea” behind the deal. "That would be the goal," he said.

However, in 2022 McLaren signed Oscar Piastri to take over the cockpit Daniel Ricciardo was extricated from, a decision Palou claimed had left him angered and upset.

“I asked MIM [his management team] to speak to Zak to ask what was going on.

Alex Palou is being suit by McLaren for breaching his contract terms. Photo RacePictures.

According to Palou, Brown had said that the decision to hire Piastri was made by the then team principal Andreas Seidl, a statement the Spaniard talent isn't so sure about anymore.

Palou said: “That was when things first changed because they did not tell us the truth.”

“Why Oscar’s name never appeared in our conversations? Why sign another rookie? Someone experienced I could understand.

“If you say that is from Andreas, that is not going to interfere with my chances, I am believing it.

“[But] from what I have heard in the last days, apparently he [Mr Brown] makes all the choices. That was not what he told me.”

GPblog's latest F1 Paddock Update

Want to stay up-to-date with what happens in the F1 paddock? Then GPblog's F1 Paddock Update video is the perfect way to do it. Subscribe to GPblog's YouTube channel and turn on notifications to never miss the latest episodes.