When Alex Palou likened his controversial Ganassi situation with a “crappy day”

Alex Palou once found himself at the heart of one of the most contentious contract situations in recent IndyCar history. The 28-year-old, in his words, likened the situation to an individual experiencing a "crappy day."

Before eventually penning an extension with the Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) team following the conclusion of the 2022 season, the Spanish driver found himself entangled in a dramatic situation that escalated into a lawsuit.

After the season ended, Alex Palou signed a contract with the Arrow McLaren team, intending to join them for the 2023 season. However, the CGR team, unwilling to let go of the driver, insisted they had an option to retain him for the 2023 campaign.

The issue subsequently spiraled into the team filing a lawsuit against Palou and Arrow McLaren. Eventually, all parties came to an agreement, with the CGR team permitting the Barcelona native to serve as a reserve driver for the McLaren outfit's Formula 1 arm.

Reflecting on the events surrounding the contract saga during an interview with The Athletic in 2023, Alex Palou stated:

“It’s similar to having a crappy day. It was the same mindset of, ‘Yeah, there’s a lot of noise going on. Off-track, it’s not as it’s supposed to be, and I have too much stuff on my mind to think of the race car.’

But it was OK because there were two teams fighting for me. Maybe the way everything went wasn’t the best way, and I would have changed the route we took. But honestly, it could have been a lot worse — like not having a seat and being out of the championship.

So I was mentally as tough as I could be, and I learned a lot from that. But you need to go back to the basics of, ‘It can always be a lot worse than it is,’ and it’s true. And then I go back to my good mindset.”

The decision by Chip Ganassi Racing to keep Alex Palou and subsequently tie him to a new contract would prove to be a masterstroke, as the 28-year-old would go on to win the IndyCar Series championship in 2023 and the following season.

Alex Palou reveals his formula for victory

Palou detailed his winning formula following his triumph at the Indy 500. The former Dale Coyne Racing driver stormed to his maiden win at the 2025 edition of the Brickyard event.

The three-time IndyCar Series champion completed a brilliant overtake on Andretti Global’s Marcus Ericsson with 14 laps to go, clinching his first victory at the iconic racing showpiece. As part of his post-race celebration, which included several high-profile appearances,Palou visited the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, where he made time to answer a flurry of questions.

When quizzed about his winning formula, the 28-year-old, in a video shared by Nasdaq on Instagram, stated:

“Great team. Great team around me—my engineers, my mechanics. And then just working as hard as I can, and as hard as I know. It's been working so far.”

Palou and his Chip Ganassi Racing crew seem to have perfected the art of staying a step ahead. The Spanish driver has evolved into a standout performer in the open-wheel racing series in recent years. In his five full seasons in IndyCar, he has clinched the Drivers’ Championship on three occasions and is well on track to add a fourth.