Palou insists he wasn’t lying about being happy at Ganassi
2 years, 5 months ago

Palou insists he wasn’t lying about being happy at Ganassi

Associated Press  

NEWTON, Iowa — IndyCar champion Alex Palou insisted Friday he wasn’t lying last month when he told The Associated Press he was happy driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, wasn’t talking to any other teams, and was set to return to the No. Chip Ganassi last week said he picked up the exclusive option he held on Palou, while McLaren head Zak Brown said he’s signed Palou to drive for him. “I’m super happy in the 10 car,” Palou said. So instead of of trying to understand what’s going on, I’m going to try to do everything perfectly on track and the rest, my is going to sort it out.” But as everyone waits to see where Palou drives next year — and the McLaren Formula One team is not out of the question — Palou said “yeah” he knows where he will be in 2022.

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History of this topic

Analysis: Palou remains unflappable -- but slappable -- in winning 3rd IndyCar title
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Analysis: Palou remains unflappable -- but slappable -- in winning 3rd IndyCar title

Associated Press  

LEBANON, Tenn. — Chip Ganassi likes winners — its his catchphrase, in case you didn’t know — and his celebrations rarely deviate. It’s such a strange turnaround at Ganassi with Palou, a driver who turned up out of nowhere from a Japanese racing series to drive for Dale Coyne Racing during the pandemic-restricted 2020 season. Mike Hull, the managing director …

Alex Palou takes IndyCar title after Will Power is undone by seatbelt problem
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Alex Palou takes IndyCar title after Will Power is undone by seatbelt problem

LA Times  

Alex Palou, left, celebrates after winning his third IndyCar championship in four years on Sunday. Alex Palou easily drove to his third IndyCar championship in four years when challenger Will Power’s seatbelt came loose minutes into the season-deciding finale Sunday at Nashville Superspeedway. Palou had never before raced on a concrete oval, while Power finished 11th in his only career …

Palou doesn’t expect to win IndyCar title in Portland. Rossi still seeks a ride
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Palou doesn’t expect to win IndyCar title in Portland. Rossi still seeks a ride

Associated Press  

PORTLAND, Ore. — Alex Palou has a 59-point lead in the IndyCar standings but insists a third championship in four seasons isn’t a lock. Alexander Rossi remains confident he’ll have a ride in the series next year; David Malukas clarified that Will Power did not make him cry after a crash last week, and all the drivers are hopeful that …

Alex Palou reclaims IndyCar championship lead with win at Laguna Seca
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Alex Palou reclaims IndyCar championship lead with win at Laguna Seca

Associated Press  

MONTEREY, Calif. — Two-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou reclaimed the lead in the points standings by winning from the pole Sunday at Laguna Seca Raceway. It’s the most beautiful place we go to, for sure.” Palou lost the lead exiting the first turn of the race to Kyle Kirkwood but reclaimed it through strategy. “It was too risky, but it …

Alex Palou continues mastery of Laguna Seca with pole-winning run at California road course
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Alex Palou continues mastery of Laguna Seca with pole-winning run at California road course

Associated Press  

MONTEREY, Calif. — Two-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou continued his mastery of Laguna Seca Raceway by winning the pole Saturday in a qualifying session dominated by Honda drivers. I don’t think that’s the issue.” McLaughlin was then eliminated in the second round — meaning a Team Penske driver failed to advance to the Fast Six pole-shootout. “You just can’t make …

IndyCar champ Palou admits breach of contract as Spaniard tries to mitigate damages owed to McLaren
1 year, 1 month ago

IndyCar champ Palou admits breach of contract as Spaniard tries to mitigate damages owed to McLaren

Associated Press  

Two-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou concedes in court documents that he breached his contract with McLaren Racing when the Spaniard did an about-face and stayed at Chip Ganassi Racing. In the response, Palou says he changed his mind about joining McLaren ahead of the 2024 season when he “lost trust and confidence that genuinely intended to support his ambition to …

McLaren seeking at least $23 million in damages from IndyCar champion Alex Palou in UK court
1 year, 3 months ago

McLaren seeking at least $23 million in damages from IndyCar champion Alex Palou in UK court

Associated Press  

McLaren Racing is suing IndyCar champion Alex Palou for at least $23 million to recoup costs the team says it lost when the driver reneged on the contract he signed to join the team, Palou, a 26-year-old Spaniard, guaranteed that he had “no outstanding obligation under any contract or agreement” that would keep him from joining McLaren after the IndyCar …

Palou has 2nd IndyCar title in hand but contract mess between Ganassi and McLaren follows Spaniard
1 year, 4 months ago

Palou has 2nd IndyCar title in hand but contract mess between Ganassi and McLaren follows Spaniard

Associated Press  

MONTEREY, Calif. — McLaren Racing has a hotel room booked in Singapore next week for Alex Palou, who contractually is expected to be the team’s Formula One reserve driver for the remainder of the year. “And let’s just leave it at that.” Ganassi confirmed after Palou’s title-clinching win that Palou would be back in the No. I don’t know of …

IndyCar leader Alex Palou being sued by McLaren in UK. Spaniard focused on winning championship
1 year, 4 months ago

IndyCar leader Alex Palou being sued by McLaren in UK. Spaniard focused on winning championship

Associated Press  

MADISON, Ill. — Alex Palou confirmed Friday he’s being sued by McLaren — the second team to sue him in a year — but the IndyCar points leader is focused on his bid to win a second championship in three years. McLaren has made Palou its reserve driver in Formula One, where it has spent significantly on his development, and …

McLaren boss tells team IndyCar championship leader Alex Palou has reneged on 2024 contract
1 year, 4 months ago

McLaren boss tells team IndyCar championship leader Alex Palou has reneged on 2024 contract

Associated Press  

The contractual saga surrounding IndyCar championship leader Alex Palou took another twist Friday when the head of McLaren Racing told his team the Spaniard has “no intention of honoring his contract” with the team next year. Palou went public with the Ganassi dispute in a series of social media posts and wrote “as I have recently informed CGR, for personal …

Palou builds commanding IndyCar lead while preparing to switch teams next year
1 year, 6 months ago

Palou builds commanding IndyCar lead while preparing to switch teams next year

Associated Press  

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. — The possibility that Alex Palou will drive for a new team as the reigning IndyCar champion next year grows increasingly likely with each race. “We still don’t really know what’s going to happen, so I’m not thinking about next year,” Palou said Friday. I know that having good results, it’s only going to help myself and …

Alex Palou wins Detroit Grand Prix in IndyCar’s return to downtown track
1 year, 7 months ago

Alex Palou wins Detroit Grand Prix in IndyCar’s return to downtown track

Associated Press  

DETROIT — Alex Palou went from critic to champion in a day. He started and finished first in the Detroit Grand Prix on Sunday, roughly 24 hours after the IndyCar points leader said the street course was too tight and short for the series. The Spaniard, who won the Indianapolis Grand Prix, led 74 of 100 laps on Detroit’s new …

Palou balances plans with Ganassi vs. McLaren as Spaniard tries to win Indy 500
1 year, 7 months ago

Palou balances plans with Ganassi vs. McLaren as Spaniard tries to win Indy 500

Associated Press  

INDIANAPOLIS — Few had heard of Alex Palou when he arrived in IndyCar after several years of racing in Japan. Mediation determined that Palou was contractually bound to Ganassi through this season, but he will move to McLaren next season in IndyCar and already is one of McLaren’s reserve F1 drivers. Palou is permitted to participate in McLaren F1 duties …

McLaren names Alex Palou reserve driver for F1 team
2 years, 1 month ago

McLaren names Alex Palou reserve driver for F1 team

The Hindu  

Alex Palou was named a Formula One reserve driver for McLaren Racing on Thursday, confirming the end of a prolonged battle for the IndyCar champion and the F1 team. The Spaniard, who won the 2021 IndyCar championship for Chip Ganassi Racing, last July said he was declining to return to Ganassi next year and instead would drive for McLaren. In …

Palou, O’Ward to run upcoming F1 practices for McLaren
2 years, 2 months ago

Palou, O’Ward to run upcoming F1 practices for McLaren

Associated Press  

McLaren Racing will run IndyCar stars Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward in a pair of upcoming Formula One practice sessions. McLaren said Friday that Palou, the 2021 IndyCar champion, will run next Friday’s first practice session at Circuit of the Americas in Texas. Palou and O’Ward have both tested the F1 car for McLaren twice since the IndyCar season ended …

Motorsports Gone Mad: Silly season spins out of control
2 years, 5 months ago

Motorsports Gone Mad: Silly season spins out of control

Associated Press  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Fernando Alonso created this mess, right? Ganassi is now suing Palou, who says emphatically he’ll be with McLaren next season, and the entire IndyCar paddock has watched wide-eyed as each race weekend brings a new twist to the legal drama. Now McLaren is working on a buyout with current F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo, Palou is in legal …

IndyCar champ Palou declares he will be at McLaren in 2023
2 years, 5 months ago

IndyCar champ Palou declares he will be at McLaren in 2023

Associated Press  

INDIANAPOLIS — IndyCar champion Alex Palou, who has contracts signed with two different race teams for 2023 and is being sued by Chip Ganassi Racing, declared Thursday: “I will be in the McLaren family next year.” The soap opera over Palou’s future continued with more twists and turns than the Spaniard will face in Saturday’s road course race at Indianapolis …

Ganassi sues IndyCar champion Palou over contract disupte
2 years, 5 months ago

Ganassi sues IndyCar champion Palou over contract disupte

Associated Press  

The fight over IndyCar champion Alex Palou is headed to court as Chip Ganassi Racing filed a civil lawsuit in Indiana against the Spanish driver who is attempting to leave the team at the end of the season. Palou, meanwhile, says he informed CGR he does not intend to return for a third season, and McLaren Racing said it has …

Column: Palou contract fight is business, not personal
2 years, 5 months ago

Column: Palou contract fight is business, not personal

Associated Press  

It couldn’t have been more than a decade ago that Chip Ganassi hosted a dinner at his usual window table in his favorite Indianapolis steakhouse. Palou’s denials shifted speculation toward another run at Dixon, but the six-time IndyCar champion and Ganassi’s longest-tenured driver said he’d had no conversations about moving to Arrow McLaren SP. Brown stopped Pato O’Ward from slipping …

Palou arrives in Toronto with 2 IndyCar teams in hot pursuit
2 years, 5 months ago

Palou arrives in Toronto with 2 IndyCar teams in hot pursuit

Associated Press  

Alex Palou had to fight for every opportunity on his rise through open-wheel racing, and that probably makes everything that has transpired this week feel equal parts stressful and satisfying for IndyCar’s series champion. “Obviously it’s not ideal, especially for my crew, the people around me,” Palou acknowledged before Friday’s practice session on the road course at Exhibition Place. McLaren …

IndyCar champ Palou says he’s leaving Ganassi for McLaren
2 years, 5 months ago

IndyCar champ Palou says he’s leaving Ganassi for McLaren

Associated Press  

INDIANAPOLIS — Alex Palou’s top priority remains winning a second straight IndyCar championship. Shortly after Chip Ganassi Racing announced Tuesday it would exercise a team option to keep the star Spaniard next season, Palou and Arrow McLaren SP said they had agreed to a deal for 2023. “I have recently learned from the media that this afternoon, without my approval, …

O’Ward says IndyCar championship is Alex Palou’s to lose
3 years, 3 months ago

O’Ward says IndyCar championship is Alex Palou’s to lose

Associated Press  

MONTEREY, Calif. — Alex Palou strolled confidently through the Laguna Seca paddock, his focus firmly honed on closing out his first IndyCar championship. Palou took a 25-point lead in the standings with his third win of the season last weekend, with only the Laguna Seca road course and next week’s finale on the street course in Long Beach remaining. “I …

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