Álex Palou suffered a major setback in court: he will have to pay close to 10 million euros to McLaren over the contractual dispute that erupted in 2022. The ruling did not go the Spaniard’s way, and the dispute could add new chapters.
Álex Palou received an unfavorable court ruling in the contractual dispute he has had with McLaren since 2022. A commercial court in the United Kingdom determined that the Spanish driver must pay around 10 million euros in damages, after concluding that he breached the agreement he had signed with the British organization to compete in IndyCar.
The case began when Palou was announced by McLaren as a future driver for the team, but the Spaniard later did not join the project and instead continued his career with Chip Ganassi Racing. As a result, the British organization took legal action and sought financial compensation for the damage caused.
During the proceedings, Palou acknowledged that he broke the contract he had signed, although he argued that the figures claimed by McLaren were too high. Among his points, he stated that the team had not suffered real losses, especially compared to the total amount being requested as compensation.
However, the court concluded that McLaren did suffer quantifiable damages. The ruling considered factors tied to their sporting planning and the commercial impact of the case, including the possibility that deals related to sponsorships and projections connected to the driver’s presence may have been affected.
According to the article, McLaren had initially requested a higher amount, but the final judgment set a lower compensation figure than what was sought. Even so, the outcome represents a favorable ruling for the team, which succeeded in having part of its arguments recognized and an amount to be paid established.
At the same time, the decision did not include every part of the original claim. In particular, it notes that the arguments aimed at justifying losses tied to the Formula 1 program did not hold up, so the ruling focused on the IndyCar-related aspect and the agreement Palou had signed.
After the sentence became public, Palou spoke out and said that McLaren “has not suffered losses,” maintaining his initial stance regarding the real impact of the dispute. In addition, according to his interpretation, part of the lawsuit was dismissed by the court.
Meanwhile, the article points out that McLaren could still move forward to claim interest and additional legal costs, meaning the process could add further steps. Palou, for his part, continues racing in IndyCar with Chip Ganassi Racing, the team with which he has secured his main sporting achievements in recent years.