Piastri and Brown at Singapore — Photo: © IMAGO

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Oscar Piastri 'laughed' at 'ludicrous' Zak Brown McLaren claim

McLaren have been involved in a legal battle with IndyCar driver Alex Palou

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Sunday 19 October 2025 19:57

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has revealed F1 championship leader Oscar Piastri 'laughed' at a recent claim made about his boss.

Despite wrapping up their first back-to-back constructors' victory since 1991 at the Singapore Grand Prix earlier this month, the celebrations were curtailed by the fact that McLaren were about to begin their case in a UK commercial court against IndyCar star Alex Palou.

McLaren Racing are seeking around $20 million from the four-time champion in a case which is set to run until next month, after the now 28-year-old pulled out of a move to McLaren three years ago and stayed with the Chip Ganassi Racing team in IndyCar instead.

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Since the explosive case got underway, the Spanish driver admitted that he breached his contract, but maintains he does not owe anything to McLaren.

Palou claimed he felt Brown had promised him an eventual move to McLaren's F1 team as a tactic to get him to sign for the papaya IndyCar outfit, revealing to the court last week: "Zak told me that Oscar’s performance would be evaluated against mine for the 2024 seat."

The F1 hopeful also alleged that Brown had claimed he had no say in Piastri's signing, which was instead a decision made by former McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl.

Brown rejects Palou driver replacement claim

Speaking to Reuters following the claims made in court earlier this week, Brown rejected Palou's version of events, labelling them as 'ludicrous'.

"I'm not sure which allegation amused me more -- the notion that I would not be the one making a key decision about our driver lineup, or the suggestion that I wasn’t on board with signing the hugely talented Oscar Piastri," Brown said.

"Both allegations are clearly ludicrous – and anyone who follows our sport will see straight through them."

Though McLaren's F1 championship leader has not commented publicly on the claims since the case began, Reuters revealed: "Brown, who was questioned by Palou's lawyer last week, said he saw Piastri at the weekend and the Australian had laughed at the idea his boss might not have a big say in any hiring."

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