Alex Palou, the current IndyCar championship leader, is attracting attention from two Formula 1 teams for a potential race seat in 2024. Palou currently balances his commitments with Chip Ganassi Racing in IndyCar and serves as a reserve driver for McLaren in F1. McLaren attempted to sign him for their IndyCar team in 2023 but was unsuccessful. However, they are expected to secure him for 2024 once he becomes a free agent unless he decides to go elsewhere for an F1 race seat.

In the past, Palou participated in an F1 Friday practice session with McLaren during the United States Grand Prix, and he is likely to do so again after the conclusion of the IndyCar season in September. He qualifies for an F1 super license based on his IndyCar results, including winning the 2021 championship and performing remarkably well in the current season.

Palou’s contractual situation is complex, as his Ganassi contract restricts discussions with other teams until September. Nevertheless, his management team has been exploring potential opportunities at Formula 1 races. While there are limited vacancies on the F1 grid for the next season, Palou’s realistic options are believed to be either AlphaTauri or Williams, as Haas and Alfa Romeo are reportedly not interested.

Helmut Marko has shown significant interest in acquiring the multi-time Indy race winner and may even put pressure on McLaren to strike a deal with the Italian outfit unless Palou decides to stay in the United States. However, if Palou is willing to make the move to European circuits, AlphaTauri appears to have the upper hand over McLaren for some critical reasons.

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The situation is further complicated by McLaren’s desire to have him in IndyCar and keep him as a backup option for an F1 seat should one become available in the future.

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Alex Palou, is at the center of attention of the 2023 “silly season”, Having made a remarkable debut in Indy in 2020, the Spanish racing prodigy has been consistently impressing audiences and catching the eye of top-tier teams worldwide, all at the young age of 26.

His McLaren F1 reserve driver agreement is expected to extend beyond 2023, and there might be a provision allowing him to take a race seat with another F1 team if he notifies McLaren within a certain timeframe. Speaking to Speed Week, Brown disclosed that following the conclusion of the IndyCar series in September, both Palou and O’Ward will get the opportunity to showcase their skills in the Formula 1 environment. Despite the absence of vacant race cockpits at the moment, this move serves as a significant test for the two talented drivers. Speaking of the critical reasons:

There’s a degree of uncertainty surrounding Daniel Ricciardo‘s future at AlphaTauri, as the Australian driver is reportedly seeking a way to return to Red Bull. This opens up the possibility for Palou to secure a seat with AlphaTauri upon his return to Europe.

And at AlphaTauri, Palou has a better chance of becoming the lead driver, with Yuki Tsunoda already occupying one of the team’s cars. In contrast, McLaren seems to have a different situation with two young prospects who seem capable of carrying the team for the next few years. This could mean that Palou might have to take on a supporting role rather than a leading one at McLaren.

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The question arises whether McLaren will try to prevent Palou from making the move to AlphaTauri, especially considering the recent controversy, where Oscar Piastri faced a major dispute with rivals, Alpine, before joining McLaren’s F1 team.