Since joining Chip Ganassi Racing six seasons ago, Spanish driver Àlex Palou has shown to be a generational talent who is quickly working his way through INDYCAR’S record books.
For that, Palou has earned a multi-year contract extension on his current deal that runs through the 2027 season. The extension was finalized following this week’s two-day Indianapolis 500 test. Ganassi never publicly discloses contract terms.
The reward capped a celebratory week for Palou, who drove into Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the defending Indy 500 winner for testing and saw a larger-than-life banner of himself chugging the traditional winner’s milk. It’s the main banner as you enter the speedway — key placement he’d seen reserved for rival drivers the previous six years.
“I took a picture when I was driving by and sent it to my parents,” Palou said.
Palou has won four INDYCAR championships in five years, including the last three consecutive titles. He won eight times last season, including the 500, as he’s blossomed in INDYCAR since joining Ganassi in 2021.
Ahead of the Long Beach Grand Prix two weeks ago, former Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi was asked if anything had surprised him through the first quarter of the season. His response was immediate: “Yeah, that Alex has only won two races. And isn’t the points leader.”
Palou responded by winning Long Beach to give him three wins through five races this year and reclaim the top spot in the championship standings.
“It’s incredible, actually amazing,” said rival driver Will Power, a two-time INDYCAR champion and Indianapolis 500 winner. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about the last week or so because, once again, he’s gone out and won three out of five races. I mean [Kyle] Kirkwood’s common end is like three-point-something, and he’s not main the championship, which is insane.
“So it’s one thing I’m completely, like, how is he doing that week in, week out? Nicely, it’s one, he’s qualifying effectively. Two is he executes within the race and three is the pit stops, , top-notch, there’s no errors in there. And he’s quick. In order that’s what it takes once you’re driving on the market.”
His 22 profession victories via 103 begins ranks fifth in 121 years of INDYCAR historical past. Sebastien Bourdais gained 31 occasions in that span within the diluted Champ Automotive period; A.J. Foyt gained 30, Mario Andretti 27 and Ralph DePalma 26.
Palou’s 4 titles already match Andretti and Bourdais, and within the post-World Warfare II period, Palou’s 61 top-five finishes in his 103 begins trails solely Andretti, who had 64.
Dario Franchitti, a four-time INDYCAR champion and three-time Indy 500 winner, is now a driver coach and marketing consultant for Ganassi. He believes there hasn’t been a driver this dominant within the sequence since Alex Zanardi, who gained 12 races and back-to-back titles for Ganassi in 1997 and 1998.
“Successful one championship is one factor, however then the following ones, it will get progressively tougher,” Franchitti mentioned. “Simply watching what he is finished, and at this early stage in his profession, it is one thing very particular. And the extent of domination, that is the icing on the cake.
“You’re feeling sorry for the others. I’ve mentioned to him numerous occasions, ‘I might have hated racing towards you.’ He’s the whole package deal.”
At Lengthy Seashore final month, rival driver Pato O’Ward conceded his McLaren staff has not closed the hole in any respect on Palou and the No. 10 Ganassi staff.
“The man goes into each weekend with the ability to win. Truthfully, it is spectacular to see,” O’Ward mentioned. “The hole is as massive as it has been, and we’re working exhausting to attempt to be on the stage he’s of with the ability to win each race, however we do not have that.”
Connor Daly believes the domination is a mix of Palou’s flawless performances and the energy of his race staff.
“Alex is superb, however that staff, after they’re known as upon, they don’t make errors and that’s what is so vital about this recreation,” Daly mentioned. “All the pieces must be, everybody must be on the identical web page, and he’s, like surely, top-of-the-line drivers on the planet proper now.”
Reporting by The Related Press.
