Two-time IndyCar Champion Alex Palou has rubbished any connections linking him with the vacant Sauber Formula 1 seat for the 2025 season, claiming “it’s all fake.”
According to reports, Palou had been listed as a potential option to partner Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber in 2025, ahead of Audi entering F1 for the first time in 2026.
Palou, 27, has forged an incredible single-seater career in the United States, winning his first title in 2021, a second last term and is well on his way to a third in 2024.
That talent hasn’t gone unnoticed it seems, with Auto Motor und Sport and Blick listing Palou as a viable option for Sauber in 2025 since Carlos Sainz chose Williams.
However, Palou has categorically ruled himself out of the running.
“It’s all fake” Palou told the IndyStar.
“I know you cannot take my word, but I promise. It’s all fake.
“I’ve had no contacts with Audi. Zero.”
Audi has made big changes in the past month to the way the Hinwil-based Sauber team is run, ahead of its 100% takeover in 2026.
The German marque has appointed former Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto as the Chief Operating and Chief Technical Officer of the Sauber outfit as it continues to evolve, with CEO Andreas Seidl and Charman of the Board of Directors Oliver Hoffmann departing.
Shortly after Binotto was announced, Audi confirmed that Red Bull Racing Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley will depart Milton Keynes at the end of this year to become Sauber Team Principal in 2025.
With those two major shakeups confirmed, attention has to turn to completing the driver lineup.
Sauber’s current drivers, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, are both on expiring contracts and it was clear that Seidl wasn’t keen on retaining either driver.
Bottas hopes Binotto’s appointment will work in his favour as he fights to retain his seat.
Former Audi targets Carlos Sainz and Esteban Ocon have elected to join Williams and Haas respectively, and Red Bull Advisor Helmut Marko has ruled out loaning Liam Lawson to a rival team.
That leaves Sauber with an F1 driver pool including the likes of Kevin Magnussen and Logan Sargeant to pick from, our looking outside of Formula 1 for Hulkenberg’s team-mate.
One such name that has appeared out of Italian media is Formula 2 title-contender Gabriel Bortoleto, who is part of McLaren’s Driver Development programme.
Palou, is perhaps the most experienced and high-profile single-seater driver outside of F1 and the Spaniard also used to be a part of McLaren’s pool of drivers.
Across 2022 and ’23, Palou balanced his IndyCar commitments with Chip Ganassi Racing alongside F1 testing and practice outings with McLaren, participating in the opening practice session of the 2022 United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.
Palou’s ties with McLaren were ramping up as he was named the team’s F1 Reserve Driver for 2023, not long after Chip Ganassi thwarted a move to Arrow McLaren IndyCar outfit at the conclusion of the 2022 IndyCar campaign.
The Spaniard then signed a contract to race with Arrow McLaren in 2024, but amid his 2023 title charge with Chip Ganassi, he U-turned on the deal, with McLaren now seeking $30 million in damages.
Still, despite messy off-track sagas, Palou’s talent on track is highly regarded and he has the required FIA Super License points to compete, but whether he’d give up driving for arguably the best team in IndyCar for an F1 team without a point to its name after 14 rounds is debatable, especially with an Indy 500 victory missing from his CV.
Speaking on his F1 flirtation with McLaren, Palou said “I got a small taste, and it was fun, and I learned, but it didn’t happen, so I’m good.
“I’m not desperately seeing the news there and sending an email [to team officials] like, ‘Hey, I know we’re not in contact, but can we talk?’ I’m good, I’m good.”
