Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou secured the 2025 IndyCar championship at the Portland Grand Prix, marking his fourth career IndyCar title. Despite his commanding lead and strong season performance, Palou revealed a key weakness he continues to work on in his racing career.
The Spaniard entered the season as the defending champion and quickly established himself as the driver to beat. Palou opened the year with a win at St. Petersburg and went on to claim seven additional victories before the Portland race. His 2025 season also featured his first-ever victory at the prestigious Indianapolis 500.
Overcoming challenges on ovals remains a focus despite historic wins
Palou wrapped up the championship with two races left in the season after his closest competitor, Pato O’Ward, suffered an electrical failure while leading at Portland. While Palou dominated road and street circuits, he admitted that oval tracks still present a significant challenge.
Until this season, Palou had never won on an oval; however, that changed when he won the iconic Indianapolis 500. He then added another oval victory at the Iowa Speedway’s short oval event, marking important milestones in his career on these tracks. Nevertheless, Palou remains dedicated to improving further in this area.
“This year was my first ever win at an oval, at the Indy 500, actually, and then another win at Iowa at the short oval. So, we kind of ticked it, but I wouldn’t say it’s a full tick. I think it’s still my weakness. Like it’s where I struggle to feel 100% with the car, to know exactly what I need from the car to go a little bit faster. So that’s what I need to work on the most, I need to work on short ovals and see if we can be a little bit stronger there.” —Alex Palou, IndyCar driver
Precision and self-improvement drive Palou’s quest for racing perfection
Nicknamed “The Surgeon” for his meticulous and sharp driving style, Palou is well-regarded for making very few mistakes compared to his peers. Following his latest title, he explained the motivations behind his relentless pursuit of improvement on and off the track.
“I just love to work on myself and try and analyze what I’ve done, and after this weekend, I’ll go back and see, how can I avoid doing that mistake in qualifying or pass those cars better, and then we’ll be a bit stronger. That’s what drives me. Trying to be better every day, trying to chase that perfection that you know is not possible, but you’re trying to chase that anyways.” —Alex Palou, IndyCar driver
Throughout the season, Palou has maintained remarkable consistency, with only a few notable errors such as an incident at the Detroit Grand Prix and a wide moment at Mid-Ohio that allowed teammate Scott Dixon to claim victory. His ability to minimize mistakes underscores his focus and resilience.
What’s next for Alex Palou and Chip Ganassi Racing?
Having solidified his status as one of IndyCar’s elite drivers with a fourth championship, Palou’s continued emphasis on improving his oval skills highlights his determination to become even more well-rounded. Chip Ganassi Racing will undoubtedly support his efforts, aiming to maintain their strong presence in the series.
As the 2025 season closes, all eyes will be on Palou as he strives to refine his oval performance and defend his title in upcoming races. His ongoing pursuit of perfection suggests that fans can expect even greater achievements from the Spaniard in the future.