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Two years ago, reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou found himself embroiled in an ugly legal battle for his services after a move from Chip Ganassi Racing to Arrow McLaren fell apart.
The belief at the time was that McLaren would offer the Spanish star an opportunity to do what he had always dreamed of, race in Formula 1. Ultimately, Palou remained at Chip Ganassi Racing and has absolutely dominated the IndyCar series.
He just wrapped up his third series championship. He won the Indianapolis 500 for the first time in his career in May, and he’s stated that he has no interest in leaving for Formula 1.
“There’s not many seats I’d consider changing (for),” Palou said at the time.. “I don’t really know there’s many seats I’d want to be in compared to the No. 10 car right now. It’s pretty tough to beat.
But now things look as if they may take yet another turn.
Red Bull Wants To Pair Alex Palou With Max Verstappen In Formula 1
When Palou stated that he wanted to remain in IndyCar, it appeared his options in Formula 1 were limited. The upstart Cadillac F1 team, set to launch in 2026, had a pair of openings. And other middle-to-back-of-the-pack teams could have been an option.
But none of those teams offered Palou a real chance at competing for wins and championships.
Enter Red Bull Racing.
Nathan Brown of The Indianapolis Star reports that the powerhouse F1 team is interested in pairing Palou with four-time defending series champion Max Verstappen in 2026. Brown added that it’s unclear how far along talks are between the two sides.
Verstappen, meanwhile, has mown through teammates in Formula 1. Six different drivers have appeared alongside Verstappen at Red Bull since 2016. All of whom have struggled to varying degrees to match the Dutch superstar’s speed.
New Zealander Liam Lawson began the season at Red Bull Racing. But he was quickly thrust aside for Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda early in the 2025 season. Since the switch, Lawson has outscored Tsunoda in Red Bull’s feeder team, Racing Bulls.
Palou would represent Verstappen’s most accomplished teammate since Daniel Ricciardo left the team in 2018. But whether or not he could match Verstappen is a question that remains to be answered.