IndyCar team owner Chip Ganassi has issued a scalding statement accusing rival McLaren of “interference” in the battle over championship leader Alex Palou’s future.
It emerged on Friday that Palou will not – as long expected, and as McLaren believed was contractually sealed – leave Ganassi for McLaren in 2024.
McLaren team boss Zak Brown issued a statement saying “I’m extremely disappointed that Alex Palou does not intend to honour his contractual obligations to race with us in IndyCar in 2024 and beyond.
“That is all I have to say on the topic for the time being.”
Chip Ganassi, owner of Palou’s current team which now looks set to keep the 2021 champion and runaway 2023 title favourite, then hit back with his own statement issued to The Race and other media on Saturday.
“Anyone that knows me knows that I don’t make a habit of commenting about contract situations,” it read.
“Subsequently, I have been quiet since day one of this story but now I feel I must respond.
“I grew up respecting the McLaren team and their success. The new management does not get my same respect.
“Alex Palou has been a part of our team and under contract since the 2021 season. It is the interference of that contract from McLaren that began this process and ironically, they are now playing the victim.
“Simply stated, the position of McLaren IndyCar regarding our driver is inaccurate and wrong; he remains under contract with CGR.”
There has been tension between Ganassi and Brown for some time, not helped by Brown’s past attempts to sign Scott Dixon, Palou and his successful attempt to sign Felix Rosenqvist from the team.
McLaren also obtained one of Ganassi’s longest-serving sponsors, NTT, for this season.
Palou announced he was leaving Ganassi to join McLaren last year which triggered a now infamous battle between Palou and Ganassi which ended with Palou staying with the team this year in IndyCar alongside Formula 1 seat time with McLaren.
As part of that court case some documents including parts of Palou’s Ganassi contract became public, including a clause that meant Palou can’t discuss moving to other teams for 2024 until after September 1 this year.
Multiple sources have confirmed to The Race that a deal was in place between Palou and McLaren for next year, something that is backed up by Brown in his letter to his employees.
Now Palou appears intent to stay with the team he’s leading the championship with. He has recently parted ways with the management team he has been with since first attempting to move to McLaren.
McLaren will stick with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri next year in F1 so it doesn’t have a seat to offer Palou, and its IndyCar team – although improving every year – is yet to win a race in 2023.
With no obvious F1 route via McLaren and its IndyCar team less competitive than Ganassi’s, it appears Palou has now resolved there is no incentive to make the switch after all.
