Formula One F1 - United States Grand Prix - Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas, U.S. - October 21, 2022 McLaren's Alex Palou during practice REUTERS/Ricardo Arduengo
LONDON (Reuters) -Four times IndyCar champion Alex Palou told a High Court hearing on Friday that racing in Formula One was his dream but a contract he signed with McLaren in 2022, and then broke, was "based on lies and false impressions".
The Spaniard, who won this year's Indianapolis 500, said in a witness statement he now felt Formula One was used by current champions McLaren as a "negotiating tactic" to get him to sign for their less competitive IndyCar team.
McLaren Racing are seeking some $20 million from the 28-year-oldafter he backed out of a move three years ago and stayed with the Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) outfit. The driverhas admitted breach of contract but argues he owes nothing.
"My motivation in signing the March 2022 McLaren contract was that I had just won my first IndyCar Championship... and I thought it was still a good time in my young career to get to F1 and try and have a chance there," said Palou.
"After I won the IndyCar championship, I thought it would be tough, but feasible to get a chance in F1."
Palou said everything changed with McLaren when Australian Oscar Piastri, the current F1 championship leader, announced on Twitter he was replacing compatriot Daniel Ricciardo for the 2023 season.
Despite that, Palou signed another contract with McLaren after being assured by McLaren boss Zak Brown that F1 remained a possibility.
"Zak told me in various conversations we had in person, including during the time I was testing with McLaren at the track in September and October 2022, that he really loves IndyCar and wanted to get a driver from IndyCar to F1," he said.
"Zak told me he believed we could make it happen and that he would give me all the preparation I needed to be an F1 driver for McLaren."
Palou said Brown told him over dinner in October 2022 that it was not his decision to sign Piastri, previously reserve for Renault-owned Alpine, but that of now-departed principal Andreas Seidl.
"Zak told me that Oscar’s performance would be evaluated against mine for the 2024 seat," said the Spaniard.
The Spaniard said he talked to Red Bull's motorsport consultant Helmut Marko in June 2023 about a possible drive with AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls) as his McLaren dream faded.
The Austrian asked how much it would cost to get a release from McLaren but, on talking with Brown, lost interest.
Brown, attending the hearing after being questioned on Tuesday and Wednesday, smiled and occasionally shook his head during the session.
Accused by McLaren's counsel Paul Goulding of being the one stringing the team along, and signing an IndyCar contract he had no intention of fulfilling, Palou replied: "Absolutely not. I think you're twisting the story."
He said also that while CGR would be paying his legal costs, his salary was reduced accordingly and not among the top three in IndyCar.
The hearing will resume on October 20 with closing submissions due on Nov 5.
(Reporting by Alan BaldwinEditing by Toby Davis)
