Fresh Oscar Piastri evidence emerges as McLaren v Alex Palou case continues

Fresh evidence detailing the timeline of McLaren’s dealings with Oscar Piastri in 2022 has emerged as court proceedings against Alex Palou continue.

PlanetF1.com has obtained documents detailing the Contract Recognition Board findings in the battle for Piastri’s services between Alpine and McLaren that offer insight into the timing of the Australian’s signing – pertinent information given the team’s legal proceedings against Palou.

Oscar Piastri contract dispute offers insight into Alex Palou case

Piastri joined McLaren from Alpine for the F1 2023 season after a year on the sidelines, having won successive titles in Formula Renault, Formula 3, and Formula 2.

The first of those earned him a place in the Renault Academy, where he remained until 2022 when he found himself uncontracted amid protracted efforts to nail down a reserve driver role.

Eventually, in May, he was offered a four-year deal, the first of which was with Williams with an option to remain with the Grove operation for a second year in 2024 before joining the factory team for F1 2025 and 2026.

Documents seen by PlanetF1.com reveal that was “the last straw” and that Alpine “had been shilly-shallying about” for the previous eight months.

That opened the door for McLaren to swoop on the bright young prospect, with CRB outcome document revealing he put pen to paper on a “Driving Agreement” with McLaren on June 3.

A condition of doing so was that Piastri was free of obligation elsewhere, which McLaren was happy it had met the following month. The CRB summary noted of the contract that “It relates to McLaren enjoying Mr Piastri’s services as a Formula 1 driver.”

As per due process with all F1 contracts, it was submitted to the Contract Recognition Board, which triggered what became a public fight for Piastri’s services that was formally resolved on September 1.

It noted that the contract signed by Piastri on June 3 was the only valid contract that existed, essentially confirming the Australian as race driver for the team for a two-year period.

With Piastri signed for two seasons a matter of record, the timing of Palou’s now contested IndyCar contract announcement is therefore a curious one.

The Spaniard was publicly announced as McLaren’s new IndyCar driver on July 12, having been bizarrely announced as remaining with Chip Ganassi Racing earlier in the day.

McLaren broke the news via Twitter, confirming that “McLaren Racing welcomes ‪#INDYCAR champion ‪@AlexPalou to its driver roster from 2023, as the team continues to build talent across all of its racing series.”

That was followed by a press release from McLaren Racing (which operates both the F1 and IndyCar teams) stating that “Alongside his racing duties next year, Palou will also test with the McLaren F1 Team as part of its 2021 MCL35M F1 car testing program with fellow drivers Pato O’Ward and Colton Herta.”

Precisely when Palou signed his contract is therefore likely a key element as, if it was done after Piastri’s contract, it was clear there was no space within the F1 team for him.

A dispute between McLaren and Chip Ganassi Racing saw the legal action initiated on the matter taken before an agreement was reached, with Palou dating his announcement with McLaren as September 22, 2022 – after the Piastri CRB hearing had concluded and the Australian’s future was clear.

As he now faces McLaren for breach of contract, Palou has argued that he was misled in signing the deal as he was given the impression he was a consideration for an F1 race drive.

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“I was very upset, worried and angry that McLaren had signed another rookie driver other than me,” Palou said, adding that he instructed his management to ask Zak Brown about the signing.

“On September 22 they had a conversation with Zak, and Zak had told them they needed someone who would be quick in 2023 … but that this would not interfere with my chances to get into F1.”

The agreement reached between McLaren and Ganassi was for the Spaniard to remain with the latter for the 2023 IndyCar season while completing some F1 testing (and Friday practice sessions) with the former. He’d then join McLaren wholesale for 2024.

Palou argues that he was told that he would have “a chance” at an F1 berth in 2024, a point Brown rejects.

“I told him what the opportunities would be in F1,” Brown countered. “I never told him he would be under consideration.”

McLaren is seeking $20million in lost profits as a result of Palou breaking his contract with the team. Palou argues he owes nothing as he was misled in signing.

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