Who Is Alex Palou-the Latest Surprise Addition to the McLaren F1 Pool?

The new name in the world of Formula 1 is the Indy car driver, Alex Palou. The Spaniard has recently signed a deal with the Mclaren which makes him part of the team from 2023. This adds another name to the pool of drivers that are expected to be the future of the orange team.

The 25-year-old grabbed the headlines last year with his performance in the Indycar series. He registered himself as the first Spanish driver to win the title. Recruited by Chip Ganassi Racing, he finished ahead of the Mclaren Indycar drivers, Pato O’Ward, and Felix Rosenqvist.

The deal with the team based out of Woking has provided him the pathway to get to the pinnacle of motor sport. Under the new sporting regulations, teams can test one-year-old cars under provisions. This will enable Palou to have a shot at MCL35M and have his first experience with F1 machinery.

The Spaniard reflected on the deal by saying “I’m extremely excited to join the driver roster for such an iconic team as McLaren. I’m excited to be able to show what I can do behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car and looking at what doors that may open. I want to thank everyone at Chip Ganassi Racing for everything they have done for me.”

The new signing delights Mclaren CEO, Zak Brown, as he said “We have always said that we want the best talent at McLaren, and it’s exciting to be able to include Alex on that list.”

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“I’m also looking forward to seeing him get behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car as part of our Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme alongside Pato O’Ward and Colton Herta as we continue to build our driver talent.”

“Alex is an incredibly talented driver who has won in every series he has raced in, and I’m happy to welcome him to the McLaren family.” Brown concluded.

 Alex Palou’s career roadmap

The Catalan comes from a small village in the city of Barcelona. He got associated with karting at the mere age of 6 years. In 2012, he grabbed the title of the WSK Euro series and there was no looking back for him.

In 2014, Palou made his open-wheel racing debut in the Euro formula Open championship with Campos Racing. He grabbed three victories to finish third in his debut season. This season earned him a promotion to race for the team in Formula 3.

The driver had to wait till the season finale in 2015 to stand on the top step of the podium. This victory translated into him being the first Spanish driver to win a race in F3. However, 2016 was sub-par with a sole P2 finish being the highlight of the season.

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Campos Racing provided him with an opportunity to race in Formula 2 in 2017. He scored 5 points in the two races he raced with the Spanish constructor. Later, he jumped ship to the Hitech Bullfrog GP in 2018 to continue to race in F3.

The full season with Hitech was a success as he scored 7 podium finishes. Nevertheless, racing in Super Formula in 2019 was a more memorable experience for him. He won the Fuji Speedway where he delivered a Grand Slam by leading each lap of the race from pole position.

Alex tested Indycar in 2019 before being announced a driver for Dale Coyne Racing. In his rookie year, he grabbed one podium finish. Come 2021, the spotlight was on the Spaniard. He signed with Chip Ganassi Racing, where he earned his initial Indycar win and the title in the same year.

Currently, he is defending his Indycar crown in the 2022 season. By putting pen to paper with the Mclaren, his future looks really promising and we all wait to see how the papaya team uses his talent.