NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader Alex Palou, driver of the No.10 The American Legion Chip Ganassi Racing has reported done a complete U-turn and renegaded on his Arrow McLaren contract for 2024.
Palou who has an 84-point lead in the championship with four races remaining this season has confirmed that he will announce his plans for next season following the season-ending race at Lagu a Seca.
Jenna Fryer of the AP reported on Friday evening that McLaren CEO Zak Brown emailed his team to say that Palou had informed him that he would not race for the Arrow McLaren IndyCar team in 2024.
In 2022, Palou was locked in a bitter legal battle with Chip Ganassi after he signed a contract with Arrow McLaren for 2023 however an agreement was reached that would see Palou stay at Ganassi in 2023.
As part of the agreement Palou was named as McLaren’s Formula One reserve driver.
Palou will start Saturday’s Gallagher Grand Prix of Indianapolis on the IMS road course from ninth place and was second fastest in the final practice ahead of the Saturday’s 85-lap race.
Speaking following the action on Friday, Palou commented saying:
“It was not an amazing qualifying, but not bad either. It’s always a really tight qualifying here. I think we had a bit more pace than P8, but we didn’t nail the lap. We’ll continue to try to dial the car in even more. Starting in the top-10 here with such a long race tomorrow will be easy if you have speed.”
It is not yet clear where Palou will go next season with reports from Nashville last weekend that he is in talks with Ganassi about 2024.
It has also been reported that the Spaniard is on the radar of the Williams Racing team and Scuderia AlphaTauri in Formula One for 2024.