Unstoppable Palou
While Formula 1 is rediscovering the infinite talent of Fernando Alonso this year, third in the Drivers’ standings behind the two Red Bull standard bearers, in IndyCar there is another Spaniard who is making both the Iberian and American public dream: Alex Palou. Already an IndyCar champion in 2021 and finished fourth at the Indianapolis 500 this season, the 26-year-old Catalan driver is turning the stars and stripes championship into his personal playground. He won four of the nine races held, has never achieved a result worse than eighth and is back from three consecutive successes. The standings don’t lie: with 110 points ahead of second place, Scott Dixon, Palou is establishing himself as the ‘Verstappen’ from overseas this year.
F1 lens
The USA has now become his place of adoption, at least at a sporting level, but there is no doubt that Palou’s ambition is that – one day – of be able to test yourself in F1. For the moment, the Spaniard is divided between his commitment with Chip Ganassi in America and the one with McLaren in the orbit of the Circus. In fact, for the Woking team, the IndyCar leader is a test driver and has already competed in the PL1 at Austin in 2022. There is no shortage of admirers, starting from that Michael Andretti which is desperately trying to ‘undermining’ the closed circle of F1 entering the grid with his team, the Andretti Global. Interviewed by the Iberian site Brand, the 60-year-old American manager spent words of great admiration for the qualities of Palou.
Andretti praises
“He’s very, very good Andretti said. he’s one of the best riders in the world, I’m really convinced of that. Right now he is the dominant driver in IndyCar. I missed the opportunity to hire him a few years ago – revealed the son of the great Mario – I felt he was a very talented driver. We had talked and were about to make the deal, but something happened that stopped everything. Then Chip then talked to him and he preferred to go this route. But I think there is no doubt that he could be competitive in a Formula 1 car“. There are currently no negotiations of any kind between the two partiesbut the appreciation enjoyed by Palou at the Andretti team is evident.
Clash of two worlds
For more than a year now, the Andretti family has launched its candidacy to enter Formula 1 with an 11th team, after failing to take over any of the existing teams. The project has acquired greater solidity with theadvent of the Cadillac brand which – by extension – means the support from the giant General Motors. The FIA, particularly in the person of President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, it seems very well disposed towards the American consortium. The team principals of the stables already present in the Circus, led by the boss of the Mercedes house, Toto Wolff, are decidedly more hostile. Also at Silverstone, the Austrian manager expressed a negative opinion towards the entry of Andretti, citing problems of “space on the track“. “I don’t know what danger there is Andretti commented. makes me laugh a little, to be honest. But let’s not pay much attention to these kinds of comments“.
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