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sports Tuesday 19 July 2022
Column: Palou contract fight is business, not personal

By JENNA FRYER Palou hit back in a series of in the world for our fans, Notably, Brown is undecid- right now. It's up to Zak; he's
AP Auto Racing Writer tweets that claimed he'd sponsors and employees," ed on who will drive what the man who is making the
It couldn't have been more not authorized any news Brown told the AP, "and next season. He knows Rossi moves," Rosenqvist said. He
than a decade ago that release, the quote attrib- you need the best talent in will be in IndyCar and Nor- added it could take weeks
Chip Ganassi hosted a din- uted to him in the news order to achieve that." ris in F1, but everything else to unravel Palou's situa-
ner at his usual window ta- release was fake and that Brown's recent moves back depends on resolving the tion and speculated Palou
ble in his favorite Indianap- he'd informed CGR he was up his claim. Arrow McLar- Palou saga and the F1 fu- could even be benched
olis steakhouse. The movers not returning in 2023. Min- en, the IndyCar branch of ture of Daniel Ricciardo. for all of 2023.
and shakers of the local In- "At the moment it doesn't
dyCar scene were present, sound like he's going to
including Zak Brown, and race at all. It's up to law-
the group played credit yers and stuff," Rosenqvist
card roulette to determine said. "This whole deal went
who would cover the bill. down months ago. I think if
There's been some sort of Zak was sure I was going to
falling out between Ga- FE, he would have already
nassi and Brown since that said it. I'm going to take
dinner — a business agree- that chance."
ment gone bad? Brown's All bets are off if Ricciardo
failed attempt to lure away does indeed leave McLar-
Ganassi star driver Scott en.
Dixon? — and the acrimo- Then Brown has an open
ny between the two team F1 seat — the carrot that
owners is common knowl- likely wooed Palou away
edge in the IndyCar pad- from Ganassi — and unlike
dock. Herta and O'Ward, Palou
Now, they legitimately holds the FIA super license
have a beef. required to compete in the
Chip Ganassi Racing and series.
McLaren Racing both be- Herta had an outstand-
lieve they have reigning ing test in Portugal but re-
IndyCar champion Alex mains under contract with
Palou signed for next sea- Alex Palou, of Spain, drives during practice for the IndyCar auto race in Toronto, Friday, July 15, Andretti until the end of
2022.
son in a messy contract Associated Press the 2023 season. Andretti
dispute that likely will be re- has said he would let the
solved by lawyers. American move to F1 if he
Rumors swirled at the In- has the opportunity, but
dianapolis 500 that Brown utes later, McLaren said it the larger McLaren Racing Brown has said there are Andretti wants Herta in his
was attempting to poach had signed Palou, an an- organization, signed 2016 "mechanisms" in which Ric- own long-term plans and is
Palou, but the Spaniard last nouncement made after Indianapolis 500 winner Al- ciardo and McLaren can hoping to land his own F1
month insisted he was hap- midnight in England. exander Rossi for next sea- split at the end of this sea- team by 2024.
py in the No. 10 car with So what happens next? son and Colton Herta has a son, but it is believed Ric- Herta and O'Ward both
Ganassi and not looking to Grab some popcorn for testing contract with the F1 ciardo is the one who holds still need super licenses to
leave. what looks to be an ex- team. Both drivers currently the option and the Aus- compete in F1, a hurdle
Palou's denials shifted tracted battle for the are under contract to Mi- tralian has insisted he'll be Brown will address once
speculation toward an- 25-year-old in one of the chael Andretti, and Brown back in 2023. In fact, after he knows if he actually
other run at Dixon, but the juiciest IndyCar dramas in and Andretti are actual the Palou debacle, Ricciar- has Palou and what Ric-
six-time IndyCar champion years. friends. do took to social media to ciardo has planned. He's
and Ganassi's longest-ten- Ganassi remained fairly si- Brown stopped Pato reiterate his future. determined for McLaren to
ured driver said he'd had lent on the issue all week- O'Ward from slipping away "I am committed to McLar- become a consistent win-
no conversations about end in Toronto, where Dix- from his IndyCar team en until the end of next ner in F1 again and for its
moving to Arrow McLar- on earned his 52nd career when the Mexican ex- year and am not walking IndyCar team to challenge
en SP. Ganassi heard the victory to tie Mario Andretti pressed early season disap- away from the sport," the heavyweights Ganassi,
same gossip, rolled his eyes, for second on the all-time pointment with his contract 33-year-old wrote. Team Penske and Andretti
huffed and puffed and in- wins list. He maintains he by giving O'Ward an exten- In reality, he has until Sep- Autosport.
sisted his four-driver lineup exclusively held an option sion from Arrow McLaren. tember and after F1's It's all just business to Brown.
next year would be status on Palou, exercised it for And McLaren Racing ex- summer break to formally Making his nemesis Ganassi
quo. 2023 and the contract he tended Felix Rosenqvist's inform McLaren he's return- squirm is simply the cherry
Brown, meanwhile, con- holds is valid. contract with the caveat ing — something Ricciardo on top of his ambitious
tinued signing drivers to Brown has never seen he could be used in either has not done yet. Should plans.q
McLaren's expanding ros- Palou's contract and has IndyCar or the new For- he return to F1, then Brown
ter. operated under the as- mula E team that McLaren is likely looking at a three-
It all erupted last week sumption that Palou was a plans to launch next year. car IndyCar lineup of Rossi,
when Ganassi called The free agent. And as personal That's five current IndyCar O'Ward and Palou if he's
Associated Press and said as it may appear to lure the drivers — counting Palou actually available.
he'd picked up the option reigning series champion — with contracts to drive Rosenqvist would shift to
year on Palou's contract. A away from his rival, Brown for Brown. And he signed Formula E, even as the
few hours later, the team insisted all his driver signings Lando Norris to an F1 exten- Swede publicly lobbied
made it official with a news are only business moves. sion at the start of the year Sunday to keep his Indy-
release announcing Palou "Our mission is to try and in what's been a head- Car seat following his third-
would be back for a third build the most competitive spinning flurry of roster pad- place finish.
season. and exciting racing team ding. "I want to be where I'm at facebook.com/arubatoday/