F1 News
IndyCar champion set for mediation with McLaren in breach of contract suit
While Alex Palou is competing at the 24h of Daytona event, he already has his next programme set. The Spaniard will have to travel to London on Tuesday to begin a mediation process with McLaren.
According to AP, three-time IndyCar champion and the driver who is currently competing for the #93 Meyer Shank Acura car at the 24h of Daytona, Alex Palou, is scheduled to fly to London this Tuesday. Mediation will begin between the Spaniard and McLaren after the British team's $30 million breach of contract suit.
Back in 2022, Palou drove in a FP1 session at the Circuit of the Americas, and was first set to join McLaren already for the 2023 season. That year, Chip Ganassi Racing filed a civil lawsuit, when he announced he will join McLaren just after the American team announced Palou will stay for 2023 because of the option on his contract.
After the aforementioned incident was cleared up and Palou could remain with his current team for '23, and the driver was set to join McLaren in the IndyCar series for the 2024 season. However, midway through the year, he opted to remain at Chip Ganassi Racing instead. Last year, he was also crowned champion for the third time in the American series.
Palou's attorney notified McLaren about the decision, because it is believed the driver saw no way to get to F1 thanks to McLaren having a stable line-up with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, to which McLaren Racing and Arrow McLaren sued the driver in the UK Commercial Court. The team hope to be compensated for the investments in the driver's development for F1, the cost of signing a replacement, and the sporsorship deals they missed out on as a result. The driver is now set to travel to London, as his attorneys are looking to mitigate the money Palou would have to compensate McLaren with.
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