DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Álex Palou, a four-time IndyCar champion, was ordered on Friday to pay McLaren Racing over $12 million in a breach of contract lawsuit filed by the team after the Spanish driver withdrew from two separate agreements with them.
The ruling from London’s High Court followed a five-week trial that took place last year. McLaren initially pursued nearly $30 million in damages, but this amount was reduced to $20.7 million as the team aimed to recover funds they claimed to have lost in sponsorship, driver salaries, and performance earnings.
Palou was not required to compensate McLaren for any Formula 1 losses that the team asserted it incurred when he opted to stay with Chip Ganassi Racing instead of joining McLaren’s IndyCar team in 2024. All damages awarded to McLaren were associated with the losses the IndyCar team experienced due to Palou’s change of decision.
“The court has dismissed all of McLaren’s Formula 1 claims against me, which once amounted to nearly $15 million,” Palou stated. “The court’s ruling indicates that the claims against me were entirely exaggerated. It is unfortunate that so much time and resources were expended contesting these claims, some of which the Court determined had no merit, simply because I chose not to drive for McLaren after discovering they could not provide me with an F1 opportunity.”
“I am disappointed that any damages were awarded to McLaren. They have not incurred any loss due to what they have gained from the driver who took my place. I am evaluating my options with my advisors and have no additional comments to provide at this time.”
Since this situation arose in the middle of the 2022 season, Palou has secured three consecutive IndyCar championships and the Indianapolis 500. He has achieved four IndyCar titles in the past five seasons.
Source: espn.com
