McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has described Alex Palou’s claims during the trial over the Spaniard’s breach of IndyCar contract as “clearly ridiculous”.
McLaren is seeking nearly $20 million in damages after Palou pulled out of a move from Chip Ganassi Racing at the end of 2023, opting to stay with Ganassi and win three consecutive IndyCar championships from 2023 to 2025. McLaren claims it has missed out on on-track success in IndyCar and has also taken a hit with sponsorship deals and other drivers’ salaries.
The case is being heard in London’s High Court and last Friday, Palou claimed in a witness statement that Brown told him it was McLaren F1 team boss Andreas Seidl’s then decision to sign Oscar Piastri.
“Zak told me Oscar’s performance would be judged against mine for the seat in 2024,” Palou had added, claiming he had been misled about his chances of earning a racing seat with McLaren in F1 as part of negotiations to join IndyCar.
Brown attended the hearing over several days and was also questioned by Palou’s lawyer, with the four-time IndyCar champion admitting breach of contract but claiming he was owed nothing and that McLaren had limited any losses.
“I’m not sure which accusation amused me more: the idea that I wouldn’t be the one to make a major decision on our driver offering, or the suggestion that I didn’t want to be involved in signing the hugely talented Oscar Piastri,” Brown told Reuters. “Both allegations are patently ridiculous – and anyone who follows our sport will see right through them.”
Brown is not concerned that the claims in court could damage his relationship with Piastri and insists he and the Australian joked about the situation ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix.
“We definitely have the best driver pairing on the F1 grid with Oscar and Lando [Norris] – I couldn’t be more pleased with their incredible performance and their sportsmanship,” he said. “I’m excited about the great racing we’ll see over the rest of the season.”
The F1 race in Austin coincides with a pause in the legal proceedings. The hearing will resume on October 20 and is expected to last until November.
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