"He is the Max Verstappen of IndyCar": Insider urges F1 move for McLaren star driver Alex Palou

McLaren star Alex Palou put on a Max Verstappen-like season in IndyCar this season. The Spaniard demolished his rivals, winning half the races (8) this season. He also got to taste victory milk and kiss the Indianapolis track after ending his long pursuit of an Indy 500 win.

It was compared to Max Verstappen's dominant 2023 season, where the Red Bull driver failed to win just three races. An impressive season like that has only strengthened his reputation as a driver, and it is no surprise that he is attracting interest from Formula 1.

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IndyCar's Max Verstappen impressed Insider with "ridiculous" performances during the 2025 season

The McLaren driver has previously tested an F1 car in 2022 in his home country. Moreover, IndyCar Insiders like Will Buxton and James Hinchcliffe are touting him to make the switch to F1, seeing his phenomenal talent.

Former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe said recently:

"He is the Max Verstappen of IndyCar. What he is doing this year is outrageous; You don’t see that kind of dominance in a category with the same specifications." (Quotes by SoyMotor.com)

He further compared his first-ever session in an F1 car with McLaren star Lando Norris' timing and said,

"He did some Free Practice 1 sessions in Austin, several tests with McLaren, and the sensations were notable. On his first time driving that car, he was two tenths off Lando at COTA."

Alex Palou at NTT INDYCAR Series Java House Grand Prix of Monterey - Source: Getty

While the Red Bull second seat curse continues, Alex Palou was reportedly an option to drive alongside Max Verstappen, given Yuki Tsunoda's underwhelming performances. However, those reports were soon dismissed by Chip Ganassi.

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James Hinchcliffe feels Max Verstappen would have destroyed Kimi Antonelli's career with a move to Mercedes

Former F1 analyst James Hinchcliffe shared his views on the Max Verstappen rumors to Mercedes. The Dutch champion was heavily linked with a move to the Silver Arrows. However, the 4-time F1 champion pledged his loyalty to his current team, Red Bull, shutting down any move to rivals in 2026.

The IndyCar commentator was worried about the career of Mercedes' F1 rookie Kimi Antonelli with all the talk around Verstappen and the Silver Arrows. He mentioned how the Dutch Lion has consistently destroyed his former teammates, and a move to Mercedes would have been a risky affair for the young Italian.

He said, (Quotes by GPblog)

"When all the rumors circulated that Max might go to Mercedes, I remember thinking: 'When all the rumours were going around about Max maybe going to Mercedes, I remember thinking like, ‘oh, Toto [Wolff] doesn't care about Kimi Antonelli’, because you will end his career if you put Max beside him. And it's nothing on Kimi. Nobody has been able to survive alongside him."

Indeed, the results and history back Hinchcliffe's concerns. He stated how Verstappen has outclassed Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez, and others.

Max Verstappen has won four consecutive world championships. However, his title-winning run looks very likely to end this season as McLaren dominates the proceedings.

Given Red Bull's second-seat concern, Verstappen and Alex Palou would make a very decent team pairing. Should Red Bull make the plunge and sign the IndyCar champion?