“I was not focused on F1 at all”: When Alex Palou clarified his stance amid McLaren’s $23M lawsuit

Alex Palou is one of the hottest drivers in the highest class of open-wheel racing in America. He is currently gearing up for the upcoming 2025 IndyCar season, but there was a time back in 2023 (still in continuation) when he was extremely occupied with off-track lawsuit troubles with McLaren.

The Woking-based McLaren F1 had pressed charges against Alex Palou over a breach of contract. Back in 2023, the outfit demanded at least $23 million, and while the saga is still going on in Court, he had the following to add regarding his F1 future in the same year.

"If you look at my interviews until 2021, I would say I was not focused on F1 at all, and that was totally true. But things changed when I won the championship. I was 24. I had just won my first big championship and what if I try something and it goes sideways, then I can come back when I'm 27 and still super young and can still do it for 10 or 15 years." Palou said via ESPN.

Alex Palou recently hired Mischcon de Reya law firm to fight his case against the Zak Brown-led McLaren.

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Alex Palou not open to 'waiting until 30' to get an F1 seat

While Alex Palou stressed in 2023 that he was not focused on making it into F1, he also insisted that he couldn't wait until he was 30 to get a drive in the sport in the same interview. F1 is one of the most exclusive motorsports in the world, with there being only 20 seats.

Moreover, he felt that he could have waited for a seat in the pinnacle of the motorsport, had he been 20 years old.

"The door opened a little bit with McLaren. It was amazing. The opportunity was great, but there was nothing else there of, 'You will have a car.' Maybe if I was 20, I would have waited, but I'm not 20. I'm 26. I don't know of anyone who waited until 30 that got into Formula One." Palou added via the aforementioned source.

With F1 no longer a realistic option for Palou at the age of 27, he has been improving consistently in IndyCar. He has already secured three world championships in the sport and is going into the upcoming campaign as one of the favorites.

In the 2024 season, Alex Palou managed 544 points that were good enough for him to secure the driver's title. Moreover, he was also able to put on board two wins, three pole positions, and 13 top-five finishes. Second-placed Colton Herta was only able to manage 513 points in comparison to the reigning world champion. In 2025, several eyes will again be glued on Palou's No. 10 Chip Ganassi challenger.