P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Alex Palou’s legal team has filed its latest riposte to McLaren’s claim in their court row, with Pato O’Ward’s pay rise and GM’s underwhelmed stance towards Palou’s replacement David Malukas among the issues
Alex Palou’s legal team has denied any liability for Pato O’Ward’s salary increase in the ongoing court case where McLaren is suing Palou for over $30 million in the UK. McLaren has accused Palou of breaching his contract by not joining their team for 2024 and instead staying with Chip Ganassi Racing, but Palou has pushed back against these claims. The amended claim filed by McLaren in February included allegations that Palou is responsible for O’Ward’s $10.2 million salary increase and related losses, such as $1.5 million due to GM not considering Palou’s replacement, David Malukas, as an ‘A-level’ driver. Despite McLaren’s claims, Palou’s defense team has denied any responsibility for these financial consequences in response to the amended filing. The ongoing legal battle has been ongoing for over seven months, with both sides presenting their arguments in court. In its defense, Palou’s team has focused on McLaren’s alleged failure to support his potential F1 career and the commercial reasons behind O’Ward’s contract adjustments, maintaining their stance that McLaren’s actions led to the contractual breach.
