<figure id="attachment_3265205" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3265205" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-3265205 size-full" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/313a4e08-afp__20250127__2195926918__v2__midres__rolex24atdaytona_cropped_1.webp" alt="" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3265205" class="wp-caption-text">McLaren Racing sued Alex Palou after his move to the team collapsed three years ago. (AFP pic)</figcaption></figure>
LONDON: McLaren Racing won part of its lawsuit against four-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou over his aborted move to the team, with London&#8217;s High Court ruling the reigning Formula One world champions were owed around US$12 million.
McLaren Racing, which runs the reigning Formula One world champions and the Arrow McLaren team in US-based IndyCar sued Palou after his move fell apart three years ago.
McLaren have emerged as a dominant force in Formula One, with Lando Norris winning the drivers&#8217; title last year as the team won the constructors&#8217; title.
Their IndyCar team, however, are relatively new and Palou agreeing a deal in late 2022 to join would have been a coup, according to McLaren&#8217;s lawyers.
However, Palou, who had signed a deal with McLaren, ultimately stayed with Chip Ganassi Racing and won three consecutive IndyCar titles from 2023 to 2025, plus May&#8217;s Indianapolis 500.
Palou said dream to race in F1
McLaren&#8217;s lawyers argued at a trial last year that the team missed out on &#8220;the on-track success it would otherwise have achieved&#8221; with Palou as their driver and claimed US$19.7 million.
Palou&#8217;s lawyers said the Spanish driver owed McLaren nothing and he gave evidence in October that he felt McLaren misled him about his prospects of racing in Formula One.
Judge Simon Picken ruled in McLaren&#8217;s favour in relation to its claim it had to pay additional sums to its Mexican driver Pato O&#8217;Ward, amounting to just over US$1.3 million, because he had &#8220;greater leverage&#8221; when negotiating his salary.
McLaren also won parts of its case in relation to performance-based prize money and sponsor payments it said it would have earned if Palou drove for McLaren.
In total, McLaren was awarded at least US$10.2 million, plus another US$2 million to US$2.5 million depending on expert evidence.
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said in a statement: &#8220;We thank the court for recognising the very significant commercial impact and disruption our business suffered as a result of Alex&#8217;s breach of contract with the team&#8221;.
Palou said in a statement that the ruling &#8220;shows the claims against me were completely overblown&#8221;, adding: &#8220;I&#8217;m disappointed that any damages have been awarded to McLaren. They have not suffered any loss because of what they have gained from the driver who replaced me&#8221;.
Chip Ganassi said: &#8220;Alex has our full support, now and always&#8221;.

MatchPoint Times

McLaren partially wins UK lawsuit against Palou over aborted move

McLaren Racing won part of its lawsuit against four-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou over his aborted move to the team.

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