“I don’t want to leave”: Alex Palou is crystal clear about his aspirations for a ‘total opposite’ sport

Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou recently spoke about his desire to stay with the IndyCar series. The Indy 500 winner is rumored to be joining Formula One with the Cadillac F1 team.

The 28-year-old drives the #10 Chip Ganassi Racing car powered by Honda. According to multiple news outlets, Palou is in contention for one of the Cadillac seats in Formula One due to his performance in IndyCar over the years. However, these rumors have been laid to rest by the three-time IndyCar champion.

While in conversation with Fox Sports, the Spaniard highlighted why he doesn't want to leave the sport, even if it is for two years, and that he wants to focus on getting another Indianapolis 500 title. He said,

"I don’t want to leave now. Even if they say, ‘No, don’t worry, you can come back in one or two years, what if suddenly everyone is here and I’m never able to catch back up to them?" Palou added. "And it wasn’t in my mind last year, and it’s not in my mind this year. It’s getting less and less and less every day, and with this, it’s like, ‘No, I want to get another (Indy 500 victory).’"

He further added that Formula One is the total opposite of IndyCar when it comes to spending time with the family or even the mechanics. He added,

"I don’t see people celebrating with their wives and their kids as much as we do. I don’t see them hanging in the bus lot or having dinner with their mechanics. I only enjoy driving and having fun and being with my people, so I think (F1) is the total opposite."

Alex Palou was previously linked with the McLaren Formula One team as their reserve driver and drove during the various test sessions held. He made attempts to join the sport in 2023 with McLaren but decided to stick with Chip Ganassi Racing, as he did not want to wait any longer to enter Formula One, as there was no guaranteed seat. Palou was met with a lawsuit filed by McLaren that is still going on to this day.

Alex Palou is currently focused on getting his fourth IndyCar Series title. He will be seen racing at the Detroit Grand Prix on June 1.

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Alex Palou speaks his Indy 500 win compared to his IndyCar Champion win

The three-time IndyCar Series champion Alex Palou recently spoke about his Indy 500 win. The Spaniard had recently mentioned how his career would be incomplete without a win at the Indianapolis 500.

While in conversation with the media during the post-race conference, Palou spoke about the comparison between winning his Indy 500 win and the IndyCar Series titles. He said (via ASAP Sports),

"It's tough to compare. Where I rank emotionally, I would say the best I've ever been and the best I've ever felt, and I'm comparing, like, all days of my entire life. Where does this rank compared to championships and stuff? I think it's tough. It's very tough to compare. But I'm glad that I got one. It just feels amazing."

So far Alex Palou has been having a dominant season, as he has won six out of seven races and is currently leading the drivers' championship with 306 points.