| It’s hard to fathom an ace driver, one who scored the illustrious Chip Ganassi Racing team’s 14th Indy car drivers’ title since 1996, walking away from the team. Yet that is exactly what Alex Palou has chosen to do in order to take up a position at McLaren Racing.
Precisely which position is the big question, for McLaren’s release yesterday said specifically, “Alongside his racing duties next year, Palou will also test with the McLaren F1 Team as part of its 2021 MCL35M F1 car testing program with fellow drivers Pato O’Ward and Colton Herta."
Even those ‘racing duties’ must remain up for debate. Should Ganassi be able to prove that he took up his option on Palou’s services for 2023 before the Spaniard signed for McLaren, it may preclude the 2021 champion from competing for Arrow McLaren SP in IndyCar. And any hopes Palou may have harbored for using his Superlicense to actually race for McLaren in Formula 1 next year appear to have been dashed by struggling incumbent Daniel Ricciardo stating that he is committed to seeing out his contract with the team alongside Lando Norris to the end of 2023.
So there are some interesting times ahead, not only as we watch the Ganassi vs. McLaren battle play out, but also to see who might join Chip’s chargers and fill the large gap left by the departing Palou.
David Malsher-Lopez, U.S. editor, IndyCar, IMSA | 
