Alex Palou won a spectacular victory at the Firestone Grand Prix at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Although Will Power took home the championship trophy, Palou raced to make sure no one forgot the 2021 series winner in a hurry.
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Just when everyone would have started to question his future, Palou turned around and finally settled the smoke around who he will be racing for in 2023.
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Alex Palou returns to Chip Ganassi Racing
In a tweet following his victory, Alex Palou announced his future plans, ending the legal tug-of-war between McLaren and Chip Ganassi.
“I’m excited to announce that @CGRTeams and I have come to an agreement and I’ll be back in the No. 10 car next season! Looking forward to a BIG 2023!” writes the 2021 IndyCar series champion.
The two-month-long legal dispute surrounding Alex Palou’s future started with Chip Ganassi’s announcement. In it, they stated that they had picked up Palou’s team option for the 2023 IndyCar season.
A few hours later, Palou had vehemently disputed the claim saying that it had been made without his consent. Soon after, Arrow McLaren SP announced that they had signed Alex Palou for a multi-year deal starting in 2023. And thus ensued a rough legal battle between the two.
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After fighting strongly against going back to Chip Ganassi Racing for 2023, Palou’s recent tweet comes as a surprise. While it is good to hear that the dust has settled, the sudden agreement comes as a shock to many in the community who were aware of Palou’s interest in Arrow McLaren SP.
How does 2023 look for McLaren F1?
With Daniel Ricciardo parting ways with McLaren in 2023, this might be a good time to take a look at where McLaren stands for 2023.
SPA, BELGIUM – AUGUST 28: Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and McLaren looks on prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on August 28, 2022 in Spa, Belgium. (Photo by Dan Istitene – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
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While Oscar Piastri is all set to fill Ricciardo’s shoes next year, Palou and Pato O’Ward are testing the MCL35M at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya under the Testing of Previous Cars program.
McLaren’s IndyCar division will see Alex Rossi and O’Ward alongside Felix Rosenqvist, who will be joining them in 2023.
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With this lineup ahead, one can only wonder if a championship title might be in the cards in McLaren’s future. Or will it elude them for a few more years?
