Alex Palou’s victory at the Indianapolis Grand Prix was crucial for his championship aspirations in the IndyCar Series. He’s aiming for a repeat performance at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course, hoping it will lead to an even bigger win in the coming weeks.
Palou managed to outpace his main competitors during his final pit stop, gaining an advantage that helped him secure the victory. Despite facing a challenge from Will Power after a restart, Palou held on to win by a significant margin.
Christian Lundgaard finished in third place, trailing Palou by over eight seconds on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile circuit.
Palou reflected on the race, acknowledging its challenges but highlighting the opportunity to push hard throughout. Although he felt his advantage wasn’t as pronounced as in previous years, he appreciated the ability to give his all in every lap.
This win marked another important milestone for Palou in his IndyCar career. Leading for the most laps and clinching his 10th career victory, it was also his first official win of the season and his first since becoming a father in December. Naturally, he took a moment to celebrate Mother’s Day by extending his wishes to his wife, Esther.
Palou won the all-star race in March, marking Chip Ganassi Racing’s third win in four IndyCar events. He also achieved a rare feat by becoming the first back-to-back winner of the Indy GP since Power in 2017 and 2018.
With this victory, Palou took the lead in the season standings, holding a 12-point advantage over Power as they head into the next big race of the season.
Power secured his 31st career second-place finish, ranking him sixth all-time. However, the Team Penske driver hasn’t won a race since June 2022.
Despite facing challenges, including two team members serving suspensions for a cheating scandal, Power remained competitive throughout the race. However, his used red tires wore down during the final stint, impacting his performance.
Reflecting on the race, Power acknowledged that he lacked the edge on the restart and had to lift off the throttle in the last corner. He contemplated his strategy for the upcoming battle but ultimately settled for an outside approach after Palou made his intentions clear.
It was the second year in a row that Palou dominated the race, although he didn’t win by as big a margin as last year, which was nearly 17 seconds.
However, he still managed to stay ahead of Power’s strong challenge and continued to increase his lead throughout the race.
Palou explained that Power had a better restart due to a shorter first gear, so he had to defend his position. He was determined not to lose the lead. Lundgaard, who drives for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and hails from Denmark, led for 35 laps.
Palou’s teammates, Scott Dixon and Marcus Armstrong, finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Armstrong achieved his best-ever finish. Lundgaard acknowledged Palou’s speed, stating that he’s consistently fast no matter where they race.
