Fresh off his historic Indianapolis 500 win, Alex Palou has made it clear that a move to Formula 1 is no longer on the cards.
The 28-year-old Spaniard is widely regarded as the top talent in Indycar, having now secured series championships in 2021, 2023, and 2024.
He previously tested with McLaren's F1 team and was briefly linked with a potential switch, but a contract dispute ended that path and solidified his future in the American open-wheel series.
Last Sunday, just hours after the Monaco Grand Prix concluded, Palou made history by becoming the first Spanish driver to win the Indy 500. Despite that international spotlight, he told the Indianapolis Star that F1 is no longer pursuing him — and he doesn't mind.
"(F1) is not calling me anymore," Palou admitted. "I still follow it. It's a huge series. It's amazing. I'm a big fan, but I don't think they're having as much fun as I'm having here."
"I only enjoy driving and having fun and being with my people, so I think (F1) is the total opposite."
Palou's name had also been tied to the upcoming American F1 project with Cadillac, but he says his interest in making the leap has faded just as much as F1's interest in him.
"I don't want to leave now," he said.
"Even if they say 'No, don't worry, you can come back in one or two years', what if suddenly everyone is here and I'm never able to catch back up to them?
And it wasn't in my mind last year, and it's not in my mind this year," Palou added.
"It's getting less and less and less every day, and with this (win), it's like 'No, I want to get another'."
Palou's victory at the Brickyard also came with a major payday — around $4 million in prize money.
