Palou: I was very upset, alarmed and angry…

      A trial in London between McLaren and Alex Palou is continuing: we have reported on the circumstances of this case more than once, as well as on the fact that exchanges between the parties in the courtroom have been conducted in rather heated tones.

      The issue is as follows: McLaren are demanding tens of millions of dollars from Palou as compensation for alleged damages, because he refused to fulfill his contractual obligations.

      The Spanish driver has already given a speech at the hearings, explaining his actions by saying that his business relationship with McLaren was solely tied to his ambition to get into the team's main lineup competing in Formula 1. But he was deeply disappointed when he learned of its contract with Oscar Piastri.

      Here are some quotes from Palou's speech: “My goal was to become a competitor in the world’s best single-seater racing championship. During tests with McLaren, Zak Brown told me he believed it was possible and that he would provide all the conditions necessary for my preparation. At that moment I thought he was speaking sincerely.

      I was very upset, distressed and angry when McLaren signed a contract not with me, but with another rookie. Later, during a dinner with Zak, he told me that the decision to contract Oscar had not been his, but Andreas Seidl’s, the then team principal.

      Zak told me that before the 2024 season the team would evaluate Piastri’s results and compare them with mine. I asked my lawyers to speak with him, and he stated that the contract with Oscar would not affect my chances of getting a seat in Formula 1.

      However, I realized that the situation had completely changed. From that moment I began leaning toward continuing my collaboration with Chip Ganassi Racing (in IndyCar) in the future.

      There were rumours in the press that AlphaTauri was looking for a driver, and my name was on the list of candidates. In June 2023 I contacted Helmut Marko, and he said he would like me to drive for their team and asked under what conditions I could be freed from my obligations to McLaren.

      Brown had a personal conversation with Marko, and I don’t know what happened there, but after that Helmut no longer showed any interest in me.”

      Palou is recounting events that took place in the summer of 2023, but already in August of that year McLaren sued the Spanish driver. The parties failed to settle the dispute out of court, despite attempts. Meanwhile Alex managed to become a four-time IndyCar champion, where he still races for Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR).

      The prospects for the London court case are still unclear, but there is a strong likelihood that it could drag on for a long time.