Álex Palou makes history with his fifth IndyCar title in six years

Álex Palou had to wait through a chaotic weekend in Milwaukee before he could claim a fifth IndyCar crown. The Catalan driver secured the championship after completing the 160 remaining laps of a race halted by rain, finishing 10th in the resumed event.

The result gave Palou his fourth consecutive title and his fifth in six seasons, following championships in 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. At 29, he became the youngest driver to collect five IndyCar titles. Only his teammate Scott Dixon, with six, stands ahead of him on the championship list.

Palou entered the unfinished race with a 97-point advantage over American driver Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti and a 137-point lead over Christian Lundgaard of Arrow McLaren. He needed to preserve a 54-point margin to become champion without relying on the season finale at Laguna Seca on Sept. 6.

His title came after a weekend shaped by weather and interruptions. The Milwaukee race had been stopped after 90 of its scheduled 250 laps on Saturday afternoon. Palou then finished fifth in the second race before returning to complete the suspended event after midnight in Spain.

The achievement adds to a career built outside the conventional Formula One route. Palou moved to Japan at 19 to continue racing after lacking the resources to progress in GP3, then moved to the United States at 22 during the COVID-19 pandemic. In seven IndyCar seasons, he has established himself in a championship that combines street circuits, traditional road courses and oval tracks. American analysts have compared his dominance with stars including Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods and NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson.