Palou credits Ganassi and No. 10 CGR team fifth INDYCAR title

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Alex Palou arrived at Chip Ganassi Racing six years ago without an INDYCAR victory.

He now has five championships.

And when Palou was honored Sunday night at the Inn at Spanish Bay for his latest NTT INDYCAR Series title, the Spaniard made it clear whom he believes deserves much of the credit for one of the most dominant stretches in the history of American open-wheel racing.

“I never won a race before you guys got me into the team, and you guys made me a winner, a champion, and now a five-time champion,” Palou told team owner Chip Ganassi and managing director Mike Hull. “It’s incredible the amount of talent and great people that you guys both have put together to make these things happen.”

Palou won his fifth championship in six seasons since joining Ganassi in 2021 and his fourth consecutive title. The championship also gave Ganassi a record 18th INDYCAR title, breaking a tie with Team Penske for the most in series history.

Palou, 29, is now alone in third on INDYCAR’s all-time championship list behind only A.J. Foyt with seven and teammate Scott Dixon with six. No driver reached five championships in a shorter span.

“It’s just so magical,” Palou said. “Honestly, I’ve been living the best of my dreams. Every single day, waking up with this team, it’s just been incredible. Every single race, every single day working with everybody at CGR has been a true dream.”

Ganassi has employed some of the greatest drivers in INDYCAR history, and he used his banquet speech to recite the list responsible for the organization’s 18 championships: Dixon with six, Palou with five, Dario Franchitti with three, Alex Zanardi with two and Juan Pablo Montoya and Jimmy Vasser with one apiece.

But even Ganassi acknowledged Palou’s run stands apart.

“Winning one championship in the INDYCAR Series is incredibly difficult,” Ganassi said. “Winning four in a row and five out of six is something that we all know is truly extraordinary.

“It requires talent, discipline, consistency and an unbelievable desire to keep getting better, and that’s what Alex has.”

Palou won six races and eight poles this season and finished in the top 10 in 15 of 18 races. He clinched the championship one race early at the Milwaukee Mile and closed the season Sunday with an eighth-place finish at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

But Palou’s speech focused far less on his own statistics than on the people responsible for them.

He called members of his No. 10 team onto the stage and credited them for repeatedly rescuing races through strategy, engineering and pit stops. Longtime CGR crew chief Ricky Davis was honored as mechanic of the year. 

“I owe everything to these guys,” Palou said. “The amount of times that they’ve been saving me and giving me victories when I was not at 100%, and they get me back in clean air and I’m able to just enjoy and go fast and win races. It’s been incredible.”

Palou said the mentality that has made Ganassi so successful was evident even after Sunday’s finale.

Members of the No. 10 team were still unhappy with how their race had gone.

“I was like, ‘Yes, we just won five championships, four in a row. You could be smiling a bit more,’” Palou said. “But it just shows how hungry they are.”

Ganassi said Palou’s willingness to share credit is part of what makes him special.

“He’s a special driver, but he’s even a better person and a better teammate,” Ganassi said. “He never makes it about himself. He understands championships are won by everyone working together.”

That philosophy runs throughout an organization that has now won championships with six different drivers.

“The drivers and I tend to receive a lot of the attention, the accolades,” Ganassi said. “But the truth is, it’s the people behind the scenes that are the ones that make it all possible.

“It takes everybody.”

The night also celebrated Dixon’s 25th season with Ganassi, a relationship Ganassi called one of the great privileges of his career.

“His loyalty, professionalism and commitment to the sport have helped shape the culture of this organization,” Ganassi said. “He has set the standard for generations of other drivers.”

Ganassi said Dixon “will always be a part of Chip Ganassi Racing, and more importantly, he’ll always be my friend.”

Palou also thanked Honda and team partners DHL, OpenAI, PNC and Sunoco, then turned to his family. His father attended one of Palou’s INDYCAR championship celebrations for the first time, and Palou called his wife, Esther, his “biggest rock” and “biggest supporter” before announcing the couple is expecting another child next year.

It was one of the few moments Palou allowed the night to become personal.

Mostly, the five-time champion talked about the people around him and what they might accomplish next.

There is still plenty to chase.

Palou is one championship behind Dixon and two behind Foyt, and at 29 is already the youngest five-time champion in INDYCAR history.

Ganassi called what the team is doing “history-making stuff right before our eyes.”

Palou, meanwhile, sounded less interested in looking back.

“Let’s keep it going,” he told his team. “I know you guys can do it. I know you guys are very hungry.”

Then, after collecting another championship trophy, Palou turned his attention toward 2027.

“Can’t wait for next year,” he said. “Let’s go for another one.”