Four-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou and his boss both strongly denied a report that Red Bull is interested in signing the Spaniard to its Formula 1 team.
Palou said there has been zero outreach from Red Bull to him or anyone within his management group, and even wondered if the rumor was a deliberate attempt to cloud his dominating IndyCar season. Palou has won eight of 16 races, including the Indianapolis 500, and wrapped up his fourth title in five years with two races remaining.
The IndyCar season ends Sunday at Nashville Superspeedway.
“There’s been nothing, nothing at all. We have heard nothing from anyone,” Palou told The Associated Press on Tuesday, a day after the report emerged. “The only thing I’ve heard was it was a manager for some other driver in IndyCar who would like to have my seat who said it to start something.”
Palou theoretically had a shot at F1 in 2023, when he was in a tug-of-war between Chip Ganassi Racing and McLaren Racing. He had won his first championship in 2021 with Ganassi and during the 2022 season signed a contract with McLaren to join its IndyCar team with a shot at one of its F1 teams.
Ganassi put the brakes on it and said he held Palou’s contractual rights for 2023. A mediator decided that Palou had to drive for Ganassi in 2023 but could also do work for McLaren, then join McLaren in 2024.
Palou won five races and his second IndyCar title in 2023 for Ganassi. He was also McLaren’s reserve driver and did testing and simulator work, and participated in one Grand Prix practice session.
Later that year, he had a change of heart and backed out of the McLaren deal, deciding instead to remain in IndyCar with Ganassi. McLaren is now suing Palou for nearly $30 million for breach of contract, with a September trial scheduled in London.
The messiness of the McLaren signings has made many believe Palou is not a trusted option for a seat in F1.
Cadillac’s new team — owned by Dan Towriss, who also owns the Andretti Global IndyCar team — on Tuesday announced Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez will be its drivers. Towriss’ IndyCar drivers have been beaten by Palou eight times this year and he didn’t even consider signing the champion.
Ganassi, asked about the Red Bull report Tuesday, dismissed its validity.
“I read that myself. There was nobody quoted in there. I talked to Palou. Palou said he’s never talked to anybody, doesn’t know anything about it,” Ganassi said. “I talked to his management. They know nothing about it. I know nothing about it. I think it’s a clickbait story.”
After winning the Indy 500 in May, Palou himself said he’d closed the door on F1 after his convoluted split with McLaren. He’d decided that with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri winning races for McLaren in F1, and Ganassi being more dominant in IndyCar than McLaren, there was no open seat for him to move to F1 and he was better off staying put.
Ganassi on Tuesday referenced Palou’s late-season 2023 change of mind.
“He had an opportunity to leave and he decided to stay. I don’t know how many times I have to say that. Everybody can see that,” Ganassi said Tuesday.
At Indy in May, Palou said that F1 “is not calling me anymore. I don’t think they’re having as much fun as I’m having here. I don’t see people celebrating with their wives and their kids as much as we do. I don’t see them hanging in the bus lot or having dinner with their mechanics. I only enjoy driving and having fun and being with my people, so I think F1 is the total opposite.”
On Tuesday, he said he was surprised his name is even in the conversation. He was 24 when he started the McLaren talks, but he’s now 28 and has 19 wins and four titles.
“I think maybe if I had a different experience from 2022, then I would have a different view,” he said. “I feel like I got my shot and it didn’t work. And I’m just lucky that I could still get back to the best IndyCar team to win championships and the 500.
“I’m not 22. You cannot go to F1 as a rookie at 29 and ask for two years to learn the track and learn the car and ask them to wait for you to start to perform,” he continued. “You need to go there and perform immediately. I don’t think I am missing out on anything not going to F1.”
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Jenna Fryer, The Associated Press
