F1 Rumour: McLaren Seeks $20-30 Million In Damages From Alex Palou After 2024 Snub
It has been reported that McLaren is seeking between $20m and $30m in compensation from Alex Palou after the Spanish driver snubbed the team and decided to not go through with the agreement to drive with them for 2024.
McLaren has taken legal action against IndyCar racer Alex Palou over what it views as a breach of their mutual racing contract. Previously, in a bid to boost their team, McLaren had announced Palou's incorporation for the 2023 season. This move was quickly challenged by Palou's existing team, Chip Ganassi Racing.
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To resolve the conflict, it was decided that Palou would race for Chip Ganassi while also participating in Formula 1 tests for McLaren, eventually joining McLaren full-time by 2024.
However, the harmony was short-lived. Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren, recently stated Palou had "no intention" of moving to McLaren after 2023. Subsequent to this revelation, McLaren has lodged lawsuits against both Palou and his racing entity, ALPA Racing USA, aiming to recover their considerable investments in the racer's career.
Brown remarked to Forbes:
“We made a significant investment in Alex Palou, looking forward to racing with him in 2024. We’re placing our trust in the legal system to resolve this matter and will keep our comments at that.
“As a team, we’re turning our focus to the final races this season and on our plans for 2024, which we’ll announce once we’re ready.”
According to the IndyStar, a source has confirmed that the team are looking to claim between $20 and $30 million from the Spanish driver. The sum is apparently to cover the salary advance that was paid as well as the multiple other investments which the team made.
