For the first time since 2019, IndyCar returns to the Streets of Toronto for the Honda Indy Toronto, but that’s not the main headline coming into Sunday’s event.
Reigning NTT IndyCar Series champion Alex Palou returns to the track in what can only be described as an extremely awkward situation — to say the least.
IndyCar’s 2022-23 silly season was a relatively quiet one, until Chip Ganassi Racing and McLaren both swung mean left hooks in the form of tweets, made-up quotes, and contracts.
CGR falsely announced the team had exercised its option to extend Palou through 2023 on Tuesday. If you thought that was bad enough, they went on to fabricate a statement from the 25-year-old Spaniard.
“It’s a great feeling knowing I’ll be back with Chip Ganassi Racing next season,” the quote stated. “The team welcomed me with open arms from day one, and I’m excited to continue working with Chip, Mike Hull, the folks on the No. 10 NTT DATA car and everyone within the organization. The goals remain the same and we will continue to work relentlessly towards achieving them.”
Within hours, Palou, a three-time IndyCar winner and 2021 Indianapolis 500 runner-up, not only confirmed the news and the quote were untrue, but that he had also signed with rival McLaren for 2023.
Contingencies were explored by Ganassi to have a replacement driver step into the car, but the team ultimately chose to lick their wounds and stick with Palou, who sits fourth in the championship standings heading into this weekend’s 85-lap event.
The “fake news” article still remains live on CGR’s website, to boot.
WHO TO WATCH
It has been a season of highs and lows for Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin, but he captured his second win of the season and of his career at Mid-Ohio (July 3), leading 45 of the 80 laps. It was a breath of fresh air for the 29-year-old New Zealand native, who had finished outside the top 15 in three of his last four races entering Mid-Ohio. But with a win, McLaughlin catapulted himself into seventh in the championship standings.
McLaughlin has never raced at Toronto in an IndyCar, but we’ll see if he conquer the beast on Sunday.
While one team was in jubilation at Mid-Ohio, the other was in deterioration. Team Andretti was left seething after a plethora of intra-team incidents that costed all four of their drivers solid finishes. Alexander Rossi overshot the apex in turn 2 and sent teammate Romain Grosjean nose-first into the tire…
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