Oct.10 (GMM) Oscar Piastri’s arrival at McLaren was the important thing issue that ended Alex Palou’s relationship with the group, in accordance with testimony reported by Sky Deutschland.
In London’s Excessive Court docket this week, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown appeared as a part of the continued $20.7 million damages case towards the four-time Indycar champion. Palou is accused of breaching his contract to drive for McLaren’s Indycar program after deciding to stay with Chip Ganassi Racing.
“The one engaging choice was the trail to Method 1,” Palou stated in his witness assertion. “My ambition was to get into the largest single-seater collection on the earth,” the Spaniard continued.
He defined that when McLaren introduced Piastri as its new rookie in late 2022, he “was very upset, frightened, and offended that McLaren had signed one other rookie.”
In response to Sky Deutschland, Palou instructed the courtroom that Brown assured him his Method 1 hopes had been nonetheless alive and that Piastri’s efficiency “can be measured towards” his personal. Brown additionally allegedly instructed Palou that hiring Piastri “was not his choice however Andreas Seidl’s.”
“From that time on, I knew the whole lot had modified,” Palou stated, explaining why he selected to remain at Ganassi.
The report added that Brown was later confronted with WhatsApp screenshots suggesting McLaren employees deleted inside messages to “save themselves from lawsuits,” which the American flatly denied.
The Excessive Court docket proceedings proceed in London.
