ALEX PALOU TAKES INDY 500 POLE
- Cavalieri Garage Magazine
- 16 hours ago
- 2 min read
Indianapolis 500 once again belongs to Alex Palou. The reigning IndyCar Series champion secured pole position for the 2026 edition of the legendary race at Speedway, further cementing his status as the man to beat heading into the biggest event of the year.
The Catalan driver for Chip Ganassi Racing delivered a stunning four-lap average of 232.248 mph, equivalent to roughly 373 km/h, showcasing the incredible level of speed reached by modern IndyCars around the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
During the final and decisive qualifying session, Palou held off a field packed with oval specialists and experienced contenders, beating the Chevrolet #20 of Alexander Rossi from Ed Carpenter Racing and the Penske #12 driven by David Malukas. Rossi, winner of the Indy500 in 2016, and Malukas, runner-up in the 2025 edition, completed a stacked front row for the centennial event.
Starting from the second row will be Felix Rosenqvist with Meyer Shank Racing, ahead of Santino Ferrucci, Pato O'Ward, Kyffin Simpson, Connor Daly, and Scott McLaughlin.
Qualifying also featured late drama. Brazilian rookie Caio Collet had originally secured tenth place with the Chevrolet #4 of AJ Foyt Racing, but a post-session technical infringement resulted in a penalty for the team. The position was therefore handed to veteran Scott Dixon, giving the New Zealander a valuable starting spot in the middle of Row 4, alongside Rinus VeeKay.
Attention now shifts entirely to race day. Next week, the historic 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 will feature all 33 cars officially on the grid for one of the most iconic spectacles in world motorsport. Palou may start from the front, but at Indianapolis, nothing is ever decided until the checkered flag falls.
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