Chip Ganassi Racing filed a civil lawsuit against its current IndyCar driver Álex Palou and ALPA Racing this week, according to Marion County Superior Court records.
This legal action comes after Ganassi announced that it exercised the option to extend the reigning champion’s contract, but Palou went on to deny the claim—and the quote supposedly by him—hours later.
He said, in part via a Twitter thread, “I have recently learned from the media that this afternoon, without my approval, Chip Ganassi Racing issued a press release announcing that I would be driving with CGR in 2023. Even more surprising was that CGR’s release included a ‘quote’ which did not come from me.
“I did not approve that press release, and I did not author or approve that quote. As I have recently informed CGR, for personal reasons, I do not intend to continue with the team after 2022.”
Instead, he will start racing for McLaren in 2023, which both McLaren and Palou confirmed July 12.
Ganassi’s legal team filed to seal the complaint and four exhibits in the case; however, the other exhibits that are public include part of Palou’s tweets and McLaren’s tweet and the press release of the announcement. Per court records, both the driver and ALPA Racing (which is listed as Palou’s “racing entity”) were served a summons.
“Alex Palou is under contract with Chip Ganassi Racing through the end of the 2023 season,” the team said, in part, in an email to IndyStar. “He is a valued member of our team, and we will continue to support him in chasing wins, podiums, and IndyCar championships. As the result of a competing racing team improperly attempting to contract with him notwithstanding the clear terms of our contract, we are proceeding to legal process pursuant to the contract.”
Palou is due to drive in this weekend’s IndyCar road course.
