PALOU MAKES HISTORY: FIFTH INDYCAR TITLE
- Cavalieri Garage Magazine
- 12 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Alex Palou is the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series champion. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver mathematically clinched the title at the Milwaukee Mile with one race remaining, putting the finishing touch on another season in which he once again established himself as the benchmark of American open-wheel racing. For the 29-year-old Spaniard from Barcelona, this is his fifth IndyCar championship and fourth consecutive title, following his triumphs in 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Palou arrived at the Wisconsin doubleheader holding a 91-point advantage over Kyle Kirkwood and had no need to chase spectacular results. The driver of the #10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda finished fifth in Race 2 and tenth in the rescheduled Race 1, which was held on the same day after Saturday's action had been interrupted by rain. Kirkwood's sixth- and 15th-place finishes were enough to mathematically hand the championship to the Spaniard.
The undisputed star on track that Sunday was actually Pato O'Ward, who swept both Milwaukee races for Arrow McLaren. The Mexican became the first driver since 1981 to win two IndyCar races on the same day, but the championship spotlight inevitably belonged to Palou, who has now reached a completely different level compared to the rest of the field.
The numbers behind his season perfectly illustrate that dominance. With Laguna Seca still to come, Palou had already collected six wins, eight pole positions, seven podium finishes, twelve Top 5s and fourteen Top 10s in seventeen races, while leading 673 laps. His victories came at St. Petersburg, Barber, Long Beach, Detroit, Nashville and Portland, once again demonstrating the Spaniard's ability to be competitive virtually everywhere.
His fifth championship carries even more weight when viewed in the context of IndyCar history. Palou has become the youngest five-time champion in IndyCar history and only the second driver ever to win four consecutive championships, matching Sébastien Bourdais' streak from 2004 through 2007. At just 29 years old, only Scott Dixon with six titles and A.J. Foyt with seven remain ahead of the Spaniard on the all-time championship list.
Even more impressive is how quickly Palou has built this résumé. After making his IndyCar debut with Dale Coyne Racing in 2020, his move to Chip Ganassi Racing completely transformed his career: five championships in the last six seasons, with 2022 being the only year missing from his collection. What began as the emergence of an exceptional talent has now developed into a generational era of dominance.
The 2026 championship also gives Chip Ganassi Racing its 18th title in American open-wheel racing, setting a new record ahead of Team Penske. A huge part of that achievement belongs to Palou and the crew behind the #10, a combination that has spent the past several seasons turning outright speed, tire management and strategy into a level of consistency that rivals have struggled to match.
At 29 years old, Alex Palou is no longer simply building a successful career: he is now directly attacking IndyCar's all-time records. With Dixon only one championship ahead and Foyt two away, the question is no longer whether the Spaniard belongs among the greatest drivers in IndyCar history. He's already there. The only question left is how far he can go.
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