The McLaren Formula 1 team announced this Friday that Spanish driver Alex Palou will be joining the squad for the opening free practice session, piloting one of the two McLaren cars during the weekend. The United States Grand Prix is heading to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, with practice sessions scheduled for late October 21–24.
Palou expressed his excitement about making his F1 debut in a race weekend that will be watched by fans across America. After testing the 2021 McLaren MCL35M and more recently the 2022 McLaren MCL36, Palou stated his goal is to help the team prepare thoroughly for the upcoming United States Grand Prix and to contribute to the squad’s development during the event.
This marks Palou’s first official foray into F1 racing in 2021, the result of a resolved but eventful negotiation between McLaren and McLaren Chip Ganassi, which began on July 13 with the aim of keeping the Spaniard among its lineup and concluded amicably on September 14.
Palou will continue to compete with Ganassi in the U.S. single-seaters championship while also integrating with McLaren and Formula 1 operations as part of his broader schedule.
A few days after the deal’s public announcement, Palou got behind the wheel of an F1 car in private tests organized by the British team. The sessions took place at the Montmeló circuit near Barcelona, and Palou shared impressions with fellow Mexican driver Pato O’Ward as they had previously done at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.
Both test runs used last season’s car to evaluate performance and adaptation to new regulations ahead of 2022. Free Practice 1, scheduled for October 21 from 21:00 CEST to 22:00, will be the first time the team runs single-seat cars under the updated aerodynamic rules that year, with a renewed emphasis on aero efficiency and vehicle weight. Palou will use this hour to acclimate to the car’s handling and to work with the team on setup and race dynamics rather than chasing a single fastest lap time.
Early feedback from the two days of testing indicated that the pace was not the priority, but the data gathered and the perseverance shown by the Spaniard were highly encouraging for McLaren. The team later confirmed that O’Ward would also take part in Free Practice 1, extending his involvement to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which closes the season from November 18 through 20.
O’Ward expressed eagerness to return to the track in Abu Dhabi, highlighting how last year’s testing contributed to his growth as a driver. He noted that the experience driving the MCL36 would be valuable and thanked McLaren F1 for the opportunity, underscoring the importance of hands-on testing for driver development and team preparation.
Team principal Andreas Seidl affirmed that both Palou and O’Ward earned their place in the track sessions, praising their performances in Barcelona and Austria. He emphasized that the purpose of these test drives was to showcase their skills on the global stage of Formula 1 and, crucially, to support the team in fine-tuning the MCL36 for the upcoming race weekend and the broader 2022 season rather than focusing on lap times alone.