F1: Scenes from IndyCar driver Alex Palou’s F1 test (Update)

Some readers asked about our photo captions below, and where will Alex Palou fit in at McLaren in 2024?

Nothing has been confirmed about Palou’s future, but we hear he will be a McLaren driver in 2024.

Whether this can contractually be a “done deal” at this point is unknown at this point.

As we understand it, Palou will become a McLaren F1 Reserve driver. Whether he also drives for Arrow McLaren IndyCar full-time as well is still unknown because the team has made no indication it would expand to a 4-car team.  It could demote Felix Rosenqvist to Formula E in 2024 to make room for Palou in their 3-car IndyCar.

Or perhaps Palou will be happy being the McLaren F1 Reserve driver with the chance to show his stuff in several FP1 sessions with the hope of being noticed (i.e. fast enough) for McLaren or another team to offer him a full time F1 seat in 2025.

Alex Palou putting the 2021 McLaren MCL35M to the test in Barcelona, Spain Thursday.