McLaren Racing have announced the signing of 2021 IndyCar champion Alex Palou, who will make the switch at the end of the current season. Palou will see the year out with Chip Ganassi Racing, before becoming a McLaren IndyCar driver.
Palou became the first-ever Spanish champion of the NTT IndyCar Series, where the twenty-five-year-old won three races and achieved eight podiums on his way to the crown, in just his second season of racing in the championship.
His move to McLaren will also have a massive effect on the McLaren F1 Team, with Palou to join the side’s testing programme once the season is complete. As part of the programme, Palou will test old McLaren F1 cars, for example, the MCL35M that fellow-IndyCar driver Colton Herta tested last week.
Palou is “extremely excited” to be joining McLaren, where he loves the fact he’ll get to drive an F1 car.
“I’m extremely excited to join the driver roster for such an iconic team as McLaren. I’m excited to be able to show what I can do behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car and looking at what doors that may open. I want to thank everyone at Chip Ganassi Racing for everything they have done for me.”
CEO of McLaren Racing, Zak Brown, is “looking forward” to seeing Palou behind the wheel of an F1 car, as the American welcomed the Spaniard into the “McLaren family”.
“We have always said that we want the best talent at McLaren, and it’s exciting to be able to include Alex on that list. I’m also looking forward to seeing him get behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car as part of our Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme alongside Pato O’Ward and Colton Herta as we continue to build our driver talent. Alex is an incredibly talented driver who has won in every series he has raced in, and I’m happy to welcome him to the McLaren family.”
