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Alex Palou won the Indy 500 for the first time last weekend and the three-time IndyCar champion is now being linked with a Formula 1 drive in the future – if he wants one
Carlos Sainz is adamant that “dominant” Alex Palou should be given a chance to prove what he can do in Formula 1. That call comes after the Spaniard won the famous Indy 500 race for the first time last weekend.
It was just the latest in a long list of impressive accomplishments managed by Palou in recent years. He never made it to F1 after a brief spell racing in Formula 2 and moved to Japanese Super Formula before joining the IndyCar grid, where he has thrived.
Palou made his debut in the US racing series five years ago and has already become a three-time champion. He looks increasingly likely to secure his fourth crown this year as he is more than 100 points clear of nearest challenger Pato O’Ward, his Indy 500 victory marking five wins from six starts so far in 2025.
Sainz knows his compatriot very well having competed against him in junior racing categories. “I always rated Alex very highly because I was his team mate in cadets and he was very quick in cadet karting,” the Williams F1 star said.
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“But honestly speaking, what he’s doing in America is something really admirable. I think to dominate in the way he’s dominating, you have to be very good at what you’re doing. Formula 1 is a completely different discipline, different world, but I don’t have anything else but respect and admiration for what Alex is doing in Indy.
“I think someone that is capable of winning the Indy 500, at least he should at some point be given the chance to show what he can do in Formula 1. And if he’s quick enough in Formula 1, then he should be welcomed in Formula 1.”
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Fellow Spaniard Fernando Alonso is equally impressed with Palou’s success but doesn’t see why he would need to switch from IndyCar to F1. “I know that most of the drivers dream about a Formula 1 seat and having a career here, but he had the opportunity in IndyCar and he maximised every single day there,” said the Aston Martin racer.
“He’s a legend in IndyCar and he will be a legend always in IndyCar, so I think he’s not missing Formula 1. I’m very happy for him because he’s a very, very talented driver. We are just following him from here with a lot of respect and as a fan. I was watching on Sunday the race and just hoping that he would finally make it, and he did it, so I’m happy for him.”
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Palou drove in one F1 practice session for McLaren in 2022, at the United States Grand Prix in Austin. But he split from the outfit in 2023 after reneging on an agreement to join the Arrow McLaren IndyCar team, choosing instead to stick with Chip Ganassi Racing. He flew to London for talks in January this year with the £24million lawsuit still ongoing.
In any case, after his Indy 500 win, Palou insisted he is not currently interested in quitting IndyCar for F1. “I don’t want to leave now,” he said. “[F1] is not calling me anymore. I still follow it – it’s a huge series, it’s amazing, I’m a big fan – but I don’t think they’re having as much fun as I’m having here.”
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