Spanish driver Álex Palou has made history once again in IndyCar . This Sunday, at the Milwaukee oval, the Catalan driver was crowned champion of the category for the fifth time in his career, also achieving his fourth consecutive title. A feat not seen since the era of Sébastien Bourdais, who won four consecutive championships between 2004 and 2007.
Palou, born in Sant Antoni de Vilamajor in 1997, arrived in Milwaukee with a 91-point lead over his main rival, Kyle Kirkwood. This was enough to approach the weekend's double-header with confidence, but not without some tension. Rain on Saturday forced the cancellation of the first race , which was completed on Sunday, and the Spaniard managed the risks well to secure the title with a tenth-place finish in the second race.
A championship forged in consistency
With this title, Palou equals Bourdais' record of four consecutive championships and becomes the third driver with the most titles in IndyCar history, with five, one behind Scott Dixon and two behind AJ Foyt. The Spaniard, who races for Chip Ganassi Racing, has once again demonstrated his ability to remain calm under pressure.
The first race of the weekend, which had started on Saturday, was interrupted by rain after 90 laps. Pato O'Ward was leading at that point , with Palou in fourteenth position. On Sunday, the race resumed and O'Ward took the victory, while Palou finished fifth. In the second race, the Mexican driver again triumphed, achieving a one-two finish, and Palou crossed the finish line in tenth position, enough to secure the championship.
The accounts and the strategy
Palou needed to finish in the top twenty to mathematically clinch the championship, and he achieved this without taking any risks. The Spaniard managed the race intelligently , avoiding incidents and maintaining a safe position. His final advantage over Kirkwood, who finished seventh in the second race, extended to 100 points, effectively sealing the championship with one race remaining.
Rain was the main protagonist of the weekend. On Saturday, qualifying was disrupted by a penalty imposed on Palou for unapproved engine changes, forcing him to start eleventh in the first race. However, the Spaniard overcame the setback and demonstrated why he has been the most dominant driver in the category in recent years.
Statements from the champion
After crossing the finish line, Palou couldn't hide his emotion. "Incredible, I don't know what to say. I'm so proud of this team ," declared the Catalan driver. "Today was a very difficult day for us, but it feels fantastic, another championship, and we're ready for the next one," he added.
The driver from Sant Antoni de Vilamajor also had words for his family and the team, highlighting their collective effort. Palou expressed his ambition for the future , making it clear that he wants to continue winning titles and get closer to the legends of the category.
With this fifth title, Álex Palou has cemented his place as one of IndyCar's biggest names. His dominance over the last six years, with five championships, is comparable to that of the greatest legends of American motorsports. The Spaniard is already thinking about his next challenge , and it's not unreasonable to think he could surpass AJ Foyt's seven titles if he maintains this level of performance. For now, Milwaukee has witnessed another chapter in an exceptional career.