All About Champion Álex Palou and More Sportsish Moments from the 2025 Indy 500
Álex Palou (Joe Skibinski | @skibbyy)
At just 28 years old, Álex Palou has made history as the first Spanish race car driver to win the Indianapolis 500.
Racing for DHL and Chip Ganassi Racing LLC, Palou won his first-ever Indy 500 title on Sunday, May 2025, in a tight race, followed by Marcus Ericsson and David Malukas, who placed 2nd and 3rd, respectively, in the 109th annual race.
Born in 1997 in Sant Antoni de Vilamajor in Barcelona, Spain, Palou first became interested in racing as a young boy and began karting in 2003. Álex went on to win the KF3/KF Junior category of the WSK Euro Series junior karting race in 2012, representing Spain and began his GP3 motor race career in Europe in 2015. In 2021, Palou was signed to Chip Ganassi Racing, founded by former racecar driver Chip Ganassi, who has won the Indy 500 as an owner 6 times total and is the only team owner to have ever won the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400, the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Palou has brought CGR yet another Indy 500 title and multiple wins throughout the years.
Palou beat Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden, the 2023 and 2024 Indy 500 winner looking for the three-peat, and several other former Indy 500 champions searching for their next win. Newgarden’s fuel pressure issue saw him out of the race after 135 laps, with many others remaining with pit crews after vehicle malfunctions or pulled out due to crashes. Palou celebrated his victory alongside his wife, Esther Valle, and their daughter.
Álex Palou (James Black)
Heartbreak for Kyle Larson
Many eyes were on Kyle Larson this year as he attempted to compete “The Double”, i.e. completing the Indy 500 and NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. After rain delays ruined his 2024 attempt, his 2025 attempt was also foiled by a crash on a turn at Lap 92 of the Indy 500 that took out his car and those of racers Sting Ray Robb and Kyffin Simpson. All three drivers were forced to withdraw from the race and were unable to complete the Indy 500.
Larson, however, was seen leaving Indianapolis and heading for Charlotte, North Carolina, where he went on to compete in the Coca-Cola 600.
An Abundance of Pacers Jerseys
Plenty of Indy 500 viewers showed up in their Pacers jerseys - including champion Álex Palou, who showed up to a pre-race parade in a Tyrese Haliburton jersey.
There’s no doubt that Indianapolis is a hot spot for all sports this year, and the Indy 500 fans showed plenty of support for the Indiana Pacers, who played their 3rd NBA Eastern Conference championship game against the New York Knicks on the same night as the Indy 500.
Athletes Out-And-About
Tom Brady at Indy 500 (Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images)
Several NFL stars made an appearance at this year’s Indy 500, including former New England Patriots Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, as well as former New York Giant Michael Strahan, former Philadelphia Eagle Terry Crews, and current Indianapolis Colt DeForest Bucker. Before the race, Tom Brady took a lap on the track with racing club co-owner and seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, who went on to race in the Coca-Cola 600 later in the day. Rob Gronkowski served as the grand marshal of the Coors Lite “Snake Pit,” a legendary spot mixing race day with live music, drinks, and, most importantly - air-conditioned bathrooms.
Other professional athletes in attendance included MLB’s Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, former Indy 500 racer Danica Patrick, the first and only woman to win an INDYCAR Series race, and former Indy 500 winners Mario Andretti, Danny Sullivan, Johnny Rutherford, and Bobby Rahal.
Palou Heads to Gainbridge
His big day wasn’t enough for him - after his winning Indy 500, Palou put his Haliburton jersey back on and got to attend the Pacers vs. Knicks game at 8:00 PM EST as his treat to himself for winning. What a day for Álex Palou!
In the end, Palou got to have his milk and drink it, too, all while representing Spain in his legendary win. Congrats, Palou and Chip Ganassi Racing!