It’s time for IndyCar and Chip Ganassi to let Alex Palou go, to wave goodbye and wish him well in his future endeavors. Palou is just too good to continue being mired racing in IndyCar. He should be in the pinnacle of all racing series, namely, Formula One.
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After winning Sunday’s 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500, Palou has proven he’s just too good for IndyCar. Think about it: he’s won five of the first six races this season, including Sunday’s Greatest Spectacle In Racing. He’s also won three IndyCar championships in the last four years.
And even though we’re only six races into the 17-race IndyCar season, we might as well give Palou another championship already. He has a massive 115-point lead over second-ranked Pato O’Ward — another driver whose name has been mentioned along with Colton Herta as potential F1 prospects.
Palou has won 16 races in 87 starts in his IndyCar career. While that averages to about 2.67 wins per season, he’s also amassed 37 podium finishes. That means he’s either won, finished second or third in every 2.35 starts.
But here’s the most incredible stat for 2025 thus far: Palou has an average finish of 1.17. He’s failed to take the checkered flag first only once thus far this season, at Long Beach. But to his credit, he finished a close second in that race to winner Kyle Kirkwood.
And at just 28 years old, Palou’s best years as a race car driver are still ahead of him. Some of you may not remember, but there have been two similar instances of drivers who out-grew IndyCar and moved to F1 — and should serve as a reminder for Palou to follow his dreams to F1.
- Juan Pablo Montoya spent two seasons in the CART/Champ Car World Series, including winning the 1999 championship, as well as several starts in the Indy Racing League (now IndyCar). After winning the Indy 500 in 2000, there was little left for JPM to accomplish in IndyCar, so he went to F1, where he won seven races and had 30 podiums in six years — although no championships — in the global open-wheel series. He’d return to the U.S. first in NASCAR and then returned to the IndyCar world for several seasons.
- Jacques Villeneuve spent two seasons in the CART series, winning the championship in 1995. But more importantly, Villeneuve won the 1995 Indy 500, which was the catalyst that sent him to Formula One. In his first two seasons in F1, Villeneuve definitely proved he belonged with the best of the best in open-wheel racing by capturing 11 wins, including seven in 1997 on his way to the F1 championship.
Of course, there was one driver who, after doing well in USAC, CART/Champ Car and IndyCar — including one CART championship, decided to move to F1. Unfortunately, it was a less than successful move, and Michael Andretti returned to CART after just one season in F1.
Although Palou could likely have his pick of potential seats in F1 next year, there remain two open seats in the new American-based Cadillac/TWG Motorsports F1 team that would be perfect for the Spaniard. Plus, it would help to highlight why IndyCar racing is so competitive — even though Palou has made his time in IndyCar look easy.
And Arrow McLaren reportedly has a standing offer to Palou that it will find a ride for him if he wants to sign on the dotted line.
Ganassi and Palou let bygones be bygones once — can’t they do it again?
Sure, Ganassi and Palou got into a heated battle when Palou asked to be released from his contract after the 2022 season — and even signed a deal with Arrow McLaren Racing — to move to F1. Ganassi shot that idea down, claiming Palou breached his contract, which had one more year on it for 2023. After a very bitter and prolonged legal fight, Palou agreed to stay with Team Ganassi ever since.
In fact, he even signed a multi-year contract extension that reportedly is good through at least 2026 and maybe even 2027.
But after everything Palou has done for Chip Ganassi Racing with all the championships, race wins and millions of dollars he brought to the team, keeping Palou from his life-long dream would not be in the best interests of anyone: Palou, Ganassi, IndyCar and yes, even F1.
If Ganassi lets Palou out of his contract — which would be a great sign of goodwill on Ganassi’s part — it would also enhance IndyCar’s reputation around the world, especially at a time where the racing series is looking to add more international races to its schedule, including a return to Australia, as well as South America and potentially Europe one day.
If current, former or even aspiring F1 drivers acknowledge what Palou has done in IndyCar, we’d likely see even more F1 drivers come to IndyCar. Wouldn’t it be great to see a guy like Lewis Hamilton in an Indy car?
Palou is the type of driver that comes around maybe once every generation or two. He’s become IndyCar’s version of Max Verstappen or Hamilton. Keeping him in IndyCar when it’s clear his heart is in F1 — and he’s said so many times that the global series is his ultimate dream as a race car driver — would not benefit anyone.
