Alex Palou, the 29‑year‑old driver from Barcelona, Spain, added another chapter to his dominant IndyCar career on Sunday night. A 10th‑place finish in the resumed, rain‑delayed race at the Milwaukee Mile was enough to lock in his fourth straight season championship, tying the record set by Sebastien Bourdais from 2004‑2007.
Championship milestones
Palou’s achievement makes him only the third driver in series history to win five titles, joining A.J. Foyt (seven titles) and Scott Dixon (six titles). The victory also marks the 18th championship for Chip Ganassi Racing, surpassing Team Penske’s previous total.
Season performance
Throughout the 2026 season, Palou entered 17 races, earning six wins, 12 top‑five finishes and 14 top‑10 results. He finished fifth in the regularly scheduled portion of the Milwaukee event before the rain interruption. His consistency has been remarkable; over the past two seasons he has avoided back‑to‑back finishes outside the top 10 in 33 races, with only three finishes of 20th place or worse.
Recent challenges and future plans
Earlier this year, a London High Court ordered Palou to pay more than $12 million to McLaren Racing after a breach‑of‑contract lawsuit. Despite that legal hurdle, Palou remained with Ganassi, the team he joined in 2021 after a rookie year with Dale Coyne Racing. In May, he signed a multiyear extension that will keep him with Ganassi beyond the 2027 season.
The IndyCar season will conclude next weekend at Laguna Seca in California, where Palou will look to cap off a historic year.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
