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After Chip Ganassi’s Fiery Backlash, Zak Brown Takes Alex Palou to Court Over Financial Damages

Published 08/19/2023, 3:55 AM EDT

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McLaren signed Oscar Piastri before the start of the current season to replace Daniel Ricciardo. Many people questioned the move and also the complication that Piastri brought alongside the Alpine contract situation. But it was worth it. Oscar Piastri is one of the shining stars on the grid and is able to keep up with Lando Norris. However, troubles have risen again for McLaren with a young driver as Zak Brown took Alex Palou to court over financial damages after Ganassi’s fiery backlash.

Alex Palou’s contract situation has been a mess. Chip Ganassi recently made a statement to get back to McLaren as he suggested how he respected McLaren but the new management does not get his respect. He suggested how Palou has been with the team since 2021 and it’s McLaren who caused all the mess and is now playing the victim card.

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Guess what? Zak Brown isn’t one to just bloat and do nothing about it. The McLaren CEO has now filed lawsuits against Alex Palou and Chip Ganassi racing’s driver racing entity, ALPA Racing USA, LLC.. The lawsuits are filed with Part 7 claims, advising that McLaren is suing for compensation in monetary terms. Morgan Lewis and Bockius have been hired to represent McLaren. 

But what exactly is the problem and how does this situation arise? What is Alex Palou accused of being guilty of and what is Zak Brown saying about this situation?

What promise is Alex Palou accused of not holding up to and what is Zak Brown saying?

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Alex Palou, the current IndyCar championship leader and believed to be the winner this season was the McLaren team’s reserve driver for the current season. It is believed that Alex Palou had a contract with McLaren for the 2024 season as a full-time driver but is now advised to be not to join McLaren for the following campaign. Zak Brown is disappointed in Alex Palou’s decision.

via Reuters

According to Indystar.com, Zak Brown said “Unfortunately, it now appears our belief, commitment, investment and trust in Alex was misplaced, as it is not being reciprocated. This is incredibly disappointing, considering the commitment (Alex) has made to us both directly and publicly and our significant investment in him based on that commitment. We dedicated a lot of time, money and resources preparing to welcome Alex into our team because we believed in him and were looking forward to IndyCar wins with him.”

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Written by:

Pranay Bhagi

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Pranay Bhagi is an F1 writer at EssentiallySports, who has always been passionate about sports and writing. With a degree from a prestigious institute, he has channeled his enthusiasm into sports journalism, particularly F1, a sport that has captivated him for over a decade. Pranay's deep-rooted love for the sport began during the Sebastian Vettel era, and he has been following it religiously ever since.
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