Alex Palou becomes the first Spanish driver to win the Indianapolis 500.
He celebrated with family, milk, and a roof-top victory ride.
The win completes a near-perfect start to his 2025 season.
Palou now holds three championships and his first Indy 500 title.
His aggressive late-race move stunned rival Marcus Ericsson.
Ganassi team celebrates sixth Indy 500 victory.
Palouโs fame explodes across the U.S. and Spain after emotional triumph
The Milk Tastes Better When You Win: Alex Palouโs Indy 500 Triumph
Indianapolis โ May 25, 2025 โ The roar of the crowd, the checkered flag waving in the breeze, and one triumphant Spaniard atop the world of motorsports โ Alex Palou wins the Indianapolis 500, and history has been made.
Palou, now a living legend, sipped the famed milk of champions with his wife and baby in Victory Lane, a moment so pure it felt like a movie scene. The iconic Chip Ganassi Racing owner himself took a swig, sealing the victory as a team-wide triumph.
This wasnโt just a win โ it was a coronation. The day the world finally acknowledged what IndyCar fans already suspected: Alex Palou is a generational talent.
From Rising Star to Racing Royalty
Letโs not sugarcoat it โ Palou didnโt just win; he owned the day.
Coming into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Palou was already in red-hot form with victories in four of the seasonโs first five races. Analysts called it the most dominant start since 1964, when A.J. Foyt ruled the track.
But Palou didnโt care about stats โ he wanted the one thing missing from his resume: the Borg-Warner Trophy.
โThis was the one,โ Palou said. โWithout this, my career wouldโve felt incomplete. Now itโs whole.โ
The Bold Move That Sealed the Deal
The final stretch was a chess match on wheels. Marcus Ericsson, a former teammate and past champion, was leading with precision. Palou, patient and composed, was conserving fuel, lurking like a lion in tall grass.
Then, with 16 laps to go โ BAM! โ he struck. No hesitation. No regrets.
Ericsson, stunned, could only watch the blue and white No. 10 car dart past. โThat move will haunt me,โ he said. โHe made it stick, and I didnโt react in time.โ
From that moment, it was Palouโs race to lose โ and he never blinked.
A Victory Lap Like No Other
After taking the flag under caution due to a late-race crash, Palou parked just past the iconic Yard of Bricks. He leapt out, arms in the air, ungloved and unbothered, as the track thundered with cheers.
And then? He sprinted down the stretch like heโd just scored the game-winning goal at Camp Nou. Family, friends, teammates โ everyone swarmed him in celebration.
Soon after, Palou climbed onto the roof of a pickup truck for his victory parade lap, wreath around his neck, waving like a king returning from war. Ganassi, ever the proud father figure, kept a close eye โ ready to catch his champ should he wobble.
He didnโt.
The Ganassi Dynasty Grows
This marks Chip Ganassi Racingโs sixth Indy 500 win, and perhaps its most meaningful. Ganassi, a fixture in motorsports royalty, has built dynasties before. But what Palou brings is something different โ flair, consistency, and an unstoppable hunger.
โHeโs the best in the business right now,โ Ganassi said. โHeโs on a roll, and Iโd be shocked if we donโt add another championship by seasonโs end.โ
With three titles in four seasons already, Palou may soon rewrite the IndyCar record books.
Spain Celebrates a New Racing Hero
In a country that adores Formula 1 heroes like Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz Jr., Palouโs victory has sparked national pride like never before. Fans flooded social media, Spanish flags flew proudly across the grandstands, and chants of โยกPalou! ยกPalou!โ rang out in Indy.
โIt means everything to be the first Spaniard to win this race,โ Palou said. โI hope it inspires more back home to dream big.โ
Ericssonโs Agony, OโWardโs Consistency, Larsonโs Crash
While Palou celebrated, the paddock told stories of heartbreak:
- Marcus Ericsson, once again runner-up, was devastated: โSecond means nothing in this race.โ
- Pato OโWard finished a strong fourth, his fifth top-six in six career starts.
- Josef Newgarden, hoping for a rare three-peat, saw his dreams vanish due to a faulty fuel pump.
- Kyle Larson, NASCAR star attempting โthe double,โ crashed out before heading to the Coca-Cola 600.
Penskeโs Rough Day
Roger Penske, a legend in his own right, had a weekend to forget. After a scandal involving failed inspections and the firing of top IndyCar execs, his cars underperformed. Will Power was the top Penske finisher โ in 19th place.
The optics? Not great. The legacy? Untouched, for now โ Penske still holds a record 20 Indy 500 wins.
The Road Ahead: Championship Number Four?
Palouโs focus now shifts to securing another season title. And frankly, whoโs going to stop him?
Heโs dialed in. The team is firing on all cylinders. The fans are behind him. The legend is just beginning.
Chip Ganassi said it best: โWinning this race is going to make Alex Palouโs career. Itโs going to make his life.โ
And you know what? Heโs absolutely right.
Final Thoughts: The Era of Palou Has Officially Begun
Alex Palouโs historic Indianapolis 500 win isnโt just a victory for him โ itโs a victory for Spain, for Chip Ganassi Racing, and for the entire sport of IndyCar.
Itโs fast. Itโs fearless. And itโs only just getting started.
Alex Palou wins Indianapolis 500 โ and the world will never forget this day.
