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Alex Palou continued his domination of the IndyCar series by clinching his fifth title on Sunday.
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The 29-year-old has won the championship in all bar two of the seven seasons he has contested it. He debuted in the series at Dale Coyne in 2020 before moving to Ganassi the following year. He has delivered the title for his current team every season except 2022, when Penske’s Will Power won the championship.
Palou claimed his latest title with one round remaining. He has claimed six victories so far this season – two fewer than last year. He took pole position for the series’ blue riband race, the Indianapolis 500, but was unable to repeat his 2025 victory.
His latest championship triumph came in unusual circumstances during the series’ double-header race weekend at the Milwaukee Mile oval. Saturday’s first race was halted due to rain, and not resumed until after the completion of Sunday’s second race.
Andretti’s Kyle Kirkwood was Palou’s closest threat heading into last weekend, but finished behind him in both races. Palou clinched the title with a 100-point lead over McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard by the end of the weekend.
McLaren’s Pato O’Ward took back-to-back victories, moving him into the thick of a close fight for the runner-up spot behind Palou. Lundgaard, Kirkwood and O’Ward are separated by just four points.
Palou will defend his latest championship title next year as the most senior driver in Ganassi’s line-up. His team mate, six-times champion Scott Dixon, who scored his last victory over a year ago at Mid-Ohio, will join O’Ward at McLaren.
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Dixon will join the team Palou almost switched to in 2023, at a time when he looked in with a chance of moving into Formula 1. Palou made a single appearance in a F1 practice session for McLaren at the 2022 United States Grand Prix.
He was due to join their IndyCar team the following year. He later opted not to go through with the deal and the parties went to court, resulting in McLaren being awarded £8 million in damages earlier this year.
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