McLaren Launches Legal Battle Against Alex Palou Over Contract Dispute

McLaren is "very disappointed" with Alex Palou's decision to back out of his contract and remain with Chip Ganassi Racing instead of joining McLaren for the 2024 season. McLaren has initiated legal proceedings against Palou and his business. The team suspects that Palou's decision may be influenced by the strong performance of rookie Oscar Piastri, potentially blocking his path to Formula 1 with McLaren. McLaren CEO Zak Brown expressed disappointment in the situation, citing the strong relationship they had with Palou and the opportunities provided. McLaren plans to run its IndyCar driver Patricio O'Ward in a previous car under the Testing of Previous Cars rule, and Brown believes it will be "business as usual" for running a rookie driver in an FP1 session.