IndyCar sensation Alex Palou dealt MAJOR blow to F1 seat hopes

IndyCar

IndyCar sensation dealt MAJOR blow to F1 seat hopes

Alex Palou's F1 switch appears to be in peril

Harry Smith

Monday 24 July 2023 15:12

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Alex Palou's hopes of securing an F1 seat for the 2024 season have been dashed, with the Spaniard reportedly yet to receive any concrete offers.

The 26-year-old Spaniard has been linked with AlphaTauri already this season, although the return of Daniel Ricciardo certainly complicates matters for Palou.

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Palou, who is currently romping to a second IndyCar title, is tied in with McLaren's racing program, having tested for the team at the back end of the 2022 season.

Unfortunately for Palou, with the McLaren driver lineup looking rock solid and Ricciardo battling Red Bull driver academy duo Liam Lawson and Ayumu Iwasa for the AlphaTauri seat, it is unlikely he'll feature on the 2024 grid.

Time running out for Palou

Speaking on The Race IndyCar podcast, IndyCar journalist Jack Benyon explained: “The Ricciardo move to AlphaTauri was one that obviously Alex [Palou] had been linked with.

“And Alex did tell us in the build-up to the weekend there in Toronto that he doesn’t have any offers on the table from Formula 1.

“He confirmed that on the record. I can tell you that now that at the moment, as things stand, there’s no Formula 1 offer.”

Alex Palou's relationship with McLaren could be the long-term key to an F1 switch

With an F1 seat unlikely for 2024, Palou now faces a major conundrum with his IndyCar future.

The Spanish driver's contract with Chip Ganassi Racing expires at the end of the season, but Palou is also heavily linked with a move to Arrow McLaren.

Frustratingly for Palou, these two teams will be looking to tie the 26-year-old down to a long-term deal, making an F1 switch in 2025 even more difficult.