Alex Palou adds to his legend with fifth IndyCar title

Alex Palou secured his fifth IndyCar championship at Milwaukee, winning a fourth consecutive title with two races still left on the calendar.

The 29-year-old Catalan, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, matched Sébastien Bourdais’ record of four straight IndyCar championships. He also became the youngest driver to reach four titles, surpassing the age at which A.J. Foyt achieved the feat in 1967. Only Foyt and six-time champion Scott Dixon have won the series more often.

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Incredible. I owe everything to this team, and I’m very proud of them. It’s great to have another championship, and I’m already ready for the next one

Palou dominated another season with six victories, seven podium finishes, 12 top-five results and 14 top-10 finishes. His title-clinching weekend in Milwaukee was complicated by rain, a grid penalty for an unapproved engine change and a revised race schedule.

He finished fifth in the second race after leading for 115 laps, a result that effectively secured the championship before he completed the rain-delayed Saturday race in 10th. Mexican driver Pato O’Ward won both Milwaukee races.

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a very hard and long day for everyone

“Incredible. I owe everything to this team, and I’m very proud of them. It’s great to have another championship, and I’m already ready for the next one,” Palou said after what he called “a very hard and long day for everyone.” He added that the weekend involved more than 400 laps, far beyond the usual single-race format.

Palou said each of his five titles felt special, but described the latest as his most special so far. He also credited Chip Ganassi Racing, which gave him his opportunity in 2021 and, he said, continued to provide the tools needed to compete for victories and championships.

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difficult to compare