IndyCar Rumor: Will Alex Palou step up to F1 with Red Bull Racing? (2nd Update)

Although he is too good for IndyCar and he belongs in F1, this rumor is downgraded to ‘false’ today.

(GMM) Alex Palou and Chip Ganassi have both firmly denied reports linking the four-time IndyCar champion to a Red Bull Formula 1 seat.

The 28-year-old Spaniard, who secured titles in 2021, 2023, 2024 and again this season with dominant consistency at Chip Ganassi Racing, was suddenly thrust into the F1 rumor mill this week. Indy Star claimed “sources with direct knowledge of the talks” pointed to Red Bull interest for 2026.

Ganassi, however, said the story was baseless. “I read it, of course,” he told reporters.

“But no one has called us. I called Alex and he hasn’t spoken to anyone either, not even his manager,” the team owner added.

“None of us know anything, so I think it’s a clickbait story. Of course I don’t want to lose him, who would? He already had the opportunity to leave, but he stayed.”

Still, Ganassi acknowledged why rivals would be interested. “I’ll put it this way – if you have the driver everyone wants, you have something very valuable. Is Formula 1 a threat? I think we are the threat. We work to give our drivers the best for them, and I think it’s working with Alex.”

Asked if Palou might chase F1’s prestige, Ganassi added: “I don’t know, but I wish it were that way. Alex is more like a brother to me than anything else. There are two or three coveted seats, but other than that … I wouldn’t like to see him leave to be a second driver somewhere else.

“I wouldn’t stop him, and he may feel the attraction, but I don’t see him exchanging the possibility of winning the greatest race in the world (the Indy 500) for others that aren’t.”

Even so, Ganassi did not entirely shut the door. “There are no other expectations other than Alex being here,” he insisted.

Meanwhile, German outlet f1-insider.com – often well-connected to Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko – also rubbished the story, reporting: “Red Bull has no interest in the Spaniard, and the rumors are said to be coming from Daniele Audetto.”

Audetto, a former Ferrari manager, is currently a senior advisor to Palou.

Palou himself echoed the denials on Tuesday. “There was nothing, nothing at all,” he told the Associated Press. “We didn’t hear anything from anyone.

“The only thing I heard was that it was the manager of another IndyCar driver who wanted my wheel who started this.”

A surprising new name has suddenly returned to the Formula 1 driver market rumor mill – dominant multiple IndyCar champion Alex Palou.

According to Indy Star journalist Nathan Brown, “sources with direct knowledge of the talks” claim Red Bull has expressed interest in the four-time title winner, who currently drives for Chip Ganassi Racing.

The 28-year-old Spaniard has been linked to F1 before but repeatedly insisted he was happy in America and “done” with chasing a Formula 1 future. But with the 2025 IndyCar season now finishing, Palou could technically already be available.

Palou’s manager Roger Yasukawa told Marca: “We haven’t spoken to anyone in Formula 1 about Alex,” adding that he has a valid contract to remain with Ganassi.

However, it is rumored that exit clauses exist should a top F1 team make an offer, though a sizeable termination fee would be required.

For Red Bull, the rumor reflects its deeper problem. Since Daniel Ricciardo’s exit in 2018, the team has cycled through multiple drivers – Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda – without finding anyone able to consistently match Max Verstappen.

The second seat has been a dire weakness in constructors’ championship campaigns.

Russian commentator Dmitry Popov discussed the Palou link on his Youtube channel. “An interesting rumor about Palou. Their season is already ending, and he will basically be free after Zandvoort. And he has a super license, unlike (Colton) Herta.

“But to do that, without experience – to sit in a problematic car like that – why ruin your reputation against Max? He’s a hero and a four-time champion, and to end up here in last place on the grid many times in a row on unfamiliar tracks. To be honest, this rumor seems strange to me, but we’ll see.

“There’s no smoke without fire,” Popov added. “Maybe they’ll try to buy him out from Chip Ganassi next year.”

Former F1 driver Christian Danner told German outlet Ran that other names remain more likely. “There are a few names that are on everyone’s lips,” HE SAID.

“(Isack) Hadjar is really coming on strong. There’s also Arvid Lindblad from Formula 2, who is very talented and very fast. Yuki Tsunoda is still in the mix, theoretically. But the main problem is not the driver, but the car.

“Until the car works, the second driver can’t expect to be two tenths behind Verstappen either, which should be the bare minimum.” (GMM)

The IndyStar is rumoring that Red Bull Racing has expressed interest in placing four-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou (pictured) in a Formula 1 ride for 2026 next to the team’s own four-time F1 champ Max Verstappen, sources with direct knowledge of the talks told them.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

As of now, rumors about IndyCar driver Alex Palou potentially moving to the Red Bull Formula 1 team in 2026 remain speculative and lack concrete evidence. Palou, a three-time IndyCar champion and standout performer in the 2025 season, has attracted attention for his exceptional talent, prompting occasional links to F1 teams, including Red Bull.

Some sources have suggested that Red Bull might consider him as a teammate for Max Verstappen, especially amid reported dissatisfaction with current drivers like Liam Lawson, who struggled in early 2025 races.

Additionally, Palou’s past connections with Verstappen through sim racing and his reputation as a top-tier driver have fueled these discussions.

However, Palou has consistently downplayed any interest in moving to F1, emphasizing his satisfaction with IndyCar. After his 2025 Indianapolis 500 win, he told the Indy Star that F1 “is not calling me anymore” and that he enjoys the camaraderie and fun of IndyCar more than what he perceives in F1. He has also dismissed rumors of talks with teams like Cadillac for 2026, stating he’s not seeking a change and is focused on securing another IndyCar title.

Reports of a long-term contract extension with Chip Ganassi Racing further suggest he intends to stay in IndyCar, potentially ruling out a near-term F1 move. However, it is believed that Palou’s contract with Ganassi does have an F1 out-clause.

While some insiders have cautioned against Palou joining Red Bull due to the intense pressure of racing alongside Verstappen and the team’s demand for instant results, no official confirmation of negotiations with Red Bull exists.

Other F1 teams, such as Cadillac, have been more prominently linked to Palou for their 2026 entry, but even those rumors have been met with skepticism from Palou and his teammates. Given his current dominance in IndyCar and lack of recent F1 testing, any move to Red Bull in 2026 appears unlikely unless significant new developments emerge.