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McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown revealed Oscar Piastri would have been replaced by IndyCar driver Alex Palou last season if the former had failed to deliver a competitive performance in 2023. This comes amidst the legal battle between McLaren and Palou.
In 2022, the team announced its signing of Alex Palou for the 2024 season in IndyCar. He was racing for Chip Ganassi Racing at the time, who had given him an option contract for the 2023 season, and he continued racing with the team while taking some tests for McLaren that season. However, Palou later announced that he would not move to McLaren in 2024 and would continue racing for CGR.
McLaren then filed a lawsuit against the driver, alleging breach of contract, and demanding $20 million in damages, considering the resources they spent on him in the limited Formula 1 testing as well. Alex Palou claimed that moving to McLaren's F1 division was one of the major reasons for signing the contract, but the team continued with Oscar Piastri, who joined them in 2023.
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However, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown claimed that he had never promised Palou a spot in F1.
"I never strung along Alex," Brown said. "I never told him he would be under consideration for 2023[...]there was some optionality to join F1."
At the same time, he revealed that Alex Palou would have been Oscar Piastri's replacement in the team had he failed to perform in 2023. But not only did the Australian manage to become the Rookie of the Year that season, but he is also leading the Drivers' Championship in 2025, proving to be one of the most competitive drivers on the grid.
McLaren "face difficulties" amidst F1 title run between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris
McLaren has been the dominant force of the 2025 F1 season. They clinched their 10th and second consecutive Constructors' Championship after the Singapore GP, however, the Drivers' Championship is still open between their drivers.
Piastri leads the standings with Norris only 22 points behind him. Both drivers have performed excellently this season, but have also been in incidents with each other. The incident on the opening lap of the Singapore GP was clear evidence of the same, when Norris' hard overtake on turn 1 saw him make contact with Piastri, and also kept the position.
The race followed a dramatic exchange between the team and Oscar Piastri as he suggested that Lando Norris should have given the place back. However, both the stewards and McLaren deemed that no action should have been taken.
Following the race, team principal Andrea Stella addressed the difficulties the team faces when they allow their drivers to race each other.
"When you are racing as a team, you cannot have exactly the same interests for the two drivers because they want to pursue their aspirations," he said. "We want to protect this ‘let them race’ concept and we know as soon as you adopt this concept you face difficulties."
With six races remaining this season, the battle for the title is only expected to get stronger between the two teammates. Red Bull's Max Verstappen is also speculated to improve his chances in the championship race; however, there is a significant gap between him and Oscar Piastri.
