Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko and Alex Palou have delivered a categorical denial of rumours linking the Spaniard towards a move to the team in Formula 1.
Palou, who recently wrapped up his fourth IndyCar title, was the subject of speculation last week linking him with the second seat at the Milton Keynes-based squad.
Despite recently suggesting that his success Stateside has left him feeling F1 is not “calling anymore”, the IndyStar reported that Red Bull was eyeing his services.
The team has been subject to rumours about the driver who could fill the second seat alongside Max Verstappen next year.
Yuki Tsunoda, who is currently on a meagre seven points in the RB21, is still in the frame, along with sister outfit Racing Bulls’ rookie star Isack Hadjar.
But Marko, speaking to Kleine Zeitung, dismissed any possibility that it would look to Palou to fill the void, saying of the rumours that there was “nothing to it,” adding: “That’s not true.”
Palou was also vocal on the issue and said that his own understanding of the story was that it had been generated by the team boss of a rival to his Chip Ganassi Racing team.
“There’s been nothing, nothing at all. We have heard nothing from anyone,” Palou told The Associated Press earlier this week.
“The only thing I’ve heard was it was a manager for some other driver in IndyCar who would like to have my seat who said it to start something.”
Ganassi brands the Palou Red Bull rumours as ‘clickbait’
Chip Ganassi himself also chimed in on the issue, saying he had spoken to Daniele Audetto, a former F1 team manager who is currently Palou’s manager.
The American also downplayed any truth in the story, citing the lack of quotes from anyone as an indication that the story was pure fabrication.
“I read that myself. There was nobody quoted in there. I talked to Palou. Palou said he’s never talked to anybody, doesn’t know anything about it,” Ganassi said.
“I talked to his management. They know nothing about it. I know nothing about it. I think it’s a clickbait story.”
Palou is eligible for Formula 1 due to the points system of the Super Licence required to race in the sport.
Colton Herta, another IndyCar driver with longstanding rumours regarding an F1 drive, has recently been linked again, but due to finishing out of the top four in the series, he is unable to.
However, rumours have linked him to a potential Formula 2 seat, which, provided he finishes high enough, would enable him to compete in F1.
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