Ganassi heads into this weekend’s midway IndyCar spherical at Mid-Ohio holding a 1-2 in factors with its Spanish stallion Palou main its Swedish sensation Ericsson by a whopping 74 factors.
Palou has already equalled his win tally from his title yr with CGR-Honda in 2021. Ericsson is better of the remainder, and the winner of the season-opener in St Petersburg got here inside lower than a tenth of a second of claiming back-to-back Indy 500 wins final month.
But Chip’s conundrum is that he may lose them each for 2024. How so? Properly, they’ve very totally different contractual eventualities enjoying out proper now…
Alex Palou, McLaren testing at Hungaroring
Picture by: McLaren
Palou is being lured away by Formulation 1
Palou is known to have a McLaren deal in his pocket for 2024 and sees this as his finest path to Formulation 1, with the added bonus of driving for its burgeoning Arrow-partnered IndyCar staff, the place he can await his alternative within the largest league of all.
Bear in mind, final yr Ganassi issued a lawsuit in opposition to Palou when McLaren issued a press launch claiming he’d signed for 2023. That was settled with the Spaniard staying on at CGR in IndyCar for the ultimate yr of his present contract in 2023 but additionally allowed for a check and reserve position with McLaren’s Formulation 1 staff.
His newest check was on the Hungaroring earlier this month, alongside race driver Oscar Piastri no much less, and he bought to run in FP1 at COTA final yr – so you may see the place his ambitions clearly lie. Plus, McLaren wouldn’t be doing this if it didn’t assume he was the true deal…
“It has been working up to now – I adore it,” he stated when Motorsport.com requested if his F1 working has been serving to his improvement as a driver. “They’re very choosy on the best way you drive clearly.
“They’re pushing you on how one can drive, which is basically good when it comes to driver improvement actually. It is such as you go there and they’re educating you how one can brake.
“It is nice, particularly not being too accustomed to the automobile, which I am nonetheless studying how one can drive it correctly. It is nice for pushing myself.”
Alex Palou, McLaren F1 reserve driver
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photographs
Palou stayed stylish all through this awkward contractual state of affairs, and he’s reaping the profit with one other championship-challenging run that’s cementing his place as IndyCar’s premier performer.
His unflappable off-track demeanor, coupled with likely velocity and resilience on it, all level to him being nicely worthy of an F1 shot. And there’s at all times an opportunity that one other staff may come calling to make that occur sooner relatively than later…
Paddock gossip additionally means that Ganassi has counter-offered Palou with a wholesome seven-figure wage to remain put. And one might argue that’s a greater wager for making certain additional short-term success than shifting to Arrow McLaren’s still-growing IndyCar staff.
Motorsport.com requested him this week when he’ll be capable to inform us the place he’s racing subsequent yr, and he replied: “I do not know, actually, I do not know. However, yeah, that day will come.
“That day will come possibly two months, three, 4. I do not know. Perhaps as soon as the season is over, possibly later. We’ll see.
“Yeah, that day will come. Will probably be thrilling, I suppose.”
Alex Palou, McLaren MCL36
Picture by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Photographs
As regards to gunning for titles and profitable a lot of races in IndyCar versus battling to make a reputation for himself in Formulation 1, he added: “I might simply say that the fantastic thing about IndyCar is that everyone can win as a result of you will have the identical instruments as all people. In F1, possibly the wonder, it is totally different.
“It is simply that you’re within the pinnacle of motorsport, you are creating a automobile along with an enormous manufacturing facility. It is only a totally different mentality, I might say.
“I would not say one there’s extra satisfaction than the opposite.”
Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda celebrates
Picture by: Phillip Abbott / Motorsport Photographs
Ericsson desires paying the going fee for an Indy 500 winner
Distinction that situation to CGR’s different scorching property, Ericsson. His F1 itch has already been scratched with 5 seasons with Caterham and Sauber/Alfa Romeo, and his Indy 500 victory final yr is backed up by two consecutive top-six IndyCar Championship finishes.
Ericsson believes it’s time for him to be provided the form of wage that the opposite frontrunners take pleasure in, relatively than the nominal fee that’s greater than offset by the backing he brings by way of Swedish billionaire Finn Rausing.
But it surely looks as if Chip is torn over that, saying forward of the Indy 500 that “Marcus has an enormous future within the sport and I would like it to be on this staff” earlier than including “we simply have to finalize some sponsorship”.
When requested by Motorsport.com what Ganassi meant by that latter comment, Ericsson replied: “Yeah, it’s query. However I don’t assume it’s a query for me, actually.
“I’ve stated a number of occasions now that I wish to be handled as a high driver, as a result of that’s what I’m on this sequence. It’s the place I wanna be and hopefully we’ll get to that time with Ganassi. I really feel like I deserve that.”
Marcus Ericsson, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
Picture by: Brett Farmer / Motorsport Photographs
Nothing appears to have moved in that state of affairs, in actual fact it sounds prefer it’s deteriorated additional as Ericsson vented to NBC’s Kevin Lee at Highway America.
“It seems like we’re a fairly a methods away,” Ericsson instructed him. “I see issues a technique. The staff thinks that I ought to pay to be there and I really feel like I ought to receives a commission.
“I’m pissed off. There are a minimum of 15 drivers that do not convey a price range — and I might prefer to assume I’m a type of with the efficiency — however the staff thinks in any other case. In order that’s why we’re fairly far aside.
“I’ve tried to play good and make it clear I wish to keep right here. I do not perceive and it is irritating.”
Ericsson claims his telephone has been busy just lately, and there’ll come a time within the subsequent few months when he’ll be capable to formally negotiate with rival groups. So hold an eye fixed out for developments on this entrance too.
Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson & Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
Picture by: James J Black
This weird state of affairs going through Ganassi is eased considerably by the indefatigable Scott Dixon’s continued presence and unquestioned efficiency ranges. If it loses each Palou and Ericsson, it might trim again to a few vehicles subsequent yr and promote both (or each!) of the drivers that share its #11 automobile – F2 graduate Marcus Armstrong, who has been racing the highway programs, or two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato, who has been doing the ovals.
There’s additionally the prospect of it creating a younger American expertise, with David Malukas displaying flashes of eye-catching kind for Dale Coyne Racing – the place Ganassi signed Palou from for 2021. Or it might successfully swap out Palou with McLaren’s Felix Rosenqvist, who raced for CGR in 2019 and 2020 earlier than being changed by… Palou!
One factor is for positive, if there actually are two Ganassi rides going, that is going to be an intrigue-packed IndyCar foolish season.
