P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Zak Brown reveals Lando Norris got McLaren seat after paying for F1 chance
Lando Norris has been a standout performer for the McLaren F1 team since 2019 and is currently in the running for his first drivers’ championship win. McLaren’s court case against IndyCar champion Alex Palou shed light on the high costs some rookies pay for F1 practice sessions.
McLaren Racing is suing Palou for approximately $20 million, claiming financial damages after he backed out of a move to McLaren three years ago. The case also highlighted that even Norris had to pay during his junior career to be part of the F1 team before securing a full-time seat in 2019.
Court documents revealed that Ryo Hirakawa paid McLaren $3.5 million for his FP1 outing at the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP. The high costs associated with rookie practice sessions underscore the financial challenges young drivers face in pursuing a career in F1.
McLaren claimed they spent $703,000 on two F1 Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) sessions for Palou, who also participated in an FP1 session at the 2022 US GP. The expenses related to rookie sessions have come under scrutiny during the legal proceedings, exposing the substantial financial investments required for young talents vying for a shot in F1.
