Alex Palou earned the first oval victory of his career in the biggest race of them all, winning the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on May 25 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“Best milk I’ve ever tasted,” Palou said. “It tastes so good. What an amazing feeling.”
Palou took the lead for good on Lap 187, passing Marcus Ericsson’s No. 28 Allegra Honda and never trailed again. He won under caution when rookie Nolan Siegel crashed in Turn 2 on the final lap of the 200-lap race, which began 43 minutes late due to light sprinkles. The victory made Palou the first Spaniard to win the Indianapolis 500.
“It’s going to make Alex Palou’s career, it’s going to make his life, and it certainly has made mine,” said team owner Chip Ganassi, whose organization earned its sixth Indy 500 win and first since Ericsson’s 2022 triumph.
Ericsson initially crossed the line second, but both his car and teammate Kyle Kirkwood’s failed post-race inspection and were moved to 31st and 32nd, respectively. Callum Ilott’s No. 90 also failed inspection, dropping from 12th to 33rd.
The reshuffle elevated David Malukas to second, a career-best Indy 500 finish for the driver of the No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet for A.J. Foyt Enterprises. Pato O’Ward finished third in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, his fourth top-four result in the last five years, though still without an appearance on the Victory Podium. Felix Rosenqvist took fourth for Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian, with Santino Ferrucci rounding out the top five for A.J. Foyt Enterprises.
Josef Newgarden’s attempt to become the first driver to win three consecutive Indianapolis 500s ended with a mechanical issue after 135 laps, leaving him 25th. Rookie pole sitter Robert Shwartzman also saw his day unravel when he slid through his pit box on Lap 87, hitting the inside wall and several crew members. He finished 29th.
Cool temperatures in the low 60s and thick cloud cover set the stage for a chaotic first half. Six of the race’s seven cautions occurred in the opening 108 laps, eliminating seven cars. Among those sidelined were Scott McLaughlin, Marco Andretti and NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson, whose “double” attempt ended in a Lap 91 crash.
Once the race settled into rhythm, strategy and traffic became the primary variables. Palou made his final pit stop on Lap 168, stretching the limits of fuel mileage. Malukas briefly cycled to the lead before stopping on Lap 170, handing control to Ericsson, who pitted for the final time on Lap 175 and rejoined just ahead of Palou.
Palou shadowed Ericsson in the draft, conserving fuel and waiting for his moment. With Ericsson struggling to navigate lapped traffic, Palou struck earlier than expected, diving underneath the Swede into Turn 1 on Lap 187 for the final and decisive lead change, sealing a historic first Indy 500 victory.
