Alex Palou has recently emerged as an unlikely target for outgoing Formula 1 team Sauber.
The Swiss-based team has been in the sport since 1093 and has raced under several different names such as BMW, Alfa Romeo and now Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, or simply just Sauber.
The team will be leaving the sport after the 2025 season after being bought out by Audi for 2026 onwards. The German manufacturer has already recruited Nico Hulkenberg for their project and is searching for their second driver for next season.
Defending IndyCar champion Palou was among those names mentioned, but Palou shut down any rumours of him joining Audi. However, the speculation is still there, and if he were to make the move to F1, it could bring serious consequences.
READ MORE: Conor Daly shares agonising onboard view of his race-ending IndyCar Gateway crash
Alex Palou could find himself in another lawsuit if he were to leave Chip Ganassi Racing
Palou has been linked with F1 for some time due to his previous relationship with McLaren, having run an FP1 session in 2022 at Austin.
However, the Chip Ganassi Racing driver left the team after he found himself in a controversial contract dispute. In 2022, CGR announced that Palou would be retained by the team for 2023, but shortly afterward, Palou revealed that his quotes in the statement were written by the team and that the deal was not approved by him.
Moments later, McLaren announced that Palou had signed a contract for 2023 – though it was not specified if he would drive for Arrow McLaren – resulting in a lawsuit from Ganassi. This was later resolved in September 2022 when Palou agreed a deal with CGR for the 2023 season.
Palou had been set to race for McLaren in IndyCar for 2024, but later told CEO Zak Brown that he had no intention of honouring his contract and that he would stay with CGR. Subsequently, McLaren sued Palou for $23 million, or around £17.6 million.
And according to Marshall Pruett at The RACER, Palou would find himself in another legal dispute if he left CGR for Sauber.
“The rumour is a nothingburger,” he said.
“Alex Palou is contracted to drive for Ganassi for the next few years, so if he wants to try and leave for F1, he’d have two lawsuits to deal with, and I’m confident his newest Ganassi contract has the harshest of penalties if he were to try and pull this on Chip again like he did in 2022 and McLaren in 2023.
“He’s been the best driver in IndyCar since 2021, and there’s no way Ganassi voluntarily lets his best driver leave to be an asset for someone else.”
READ MORE: Meyer Shank owner shares why he feels more ‘integrated’ with new technical partner than Andretti
Alex Palou is on course for his third IndyCar title
In the midst of all the noise surrounding Palou’s future, the Spaniard is on course for his third IndyCar title in four seasons.
The CGR driver leads the standings over Colton Herta by 59 points after finishing fourth in a chaotic race at Gateway.
IndyCar next heads to Portland, which is the final road course race of the season before finishing the year at three oval events.
Palou is yet to win on an oval course and with his rivals still within a shot of winning the title, the Spaniard will be hoping to perform to keep them behind him.