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Àlex Palou, the phenomenon that Indy preferred to F1

If someone had it clear from the beginning, no matter how young he started to run in ‘karting’, well, as young as the rest of the champions who emerged and continue to appear from that masterful, playful, aggressive and very fast specialty, that was, of course !, the good, the magnificent, the handyman Àlex Palou, born in Sant Antoni de Vilamajor (Vallés Oriental) 24 years ago.

What did you have very clear? That, coming from a modest family, it was almost impossible to get to F1 through traditional ways and, therefore, from a very, very, soon decided that his destination should be the United States and any of its multiple categories, although, yes, dreaming, of course, with the IndySeries, the great competition, the one that annually visits the oval par excellence of Indianapolis.

What did Palou know ?, that a top car in F1 costs (now) 200 million euros and the top of the Indy is worth 8 million. That was how clear it was for the boy who, last Sunday, finished second in the Indianapolis 500, centimeters, yes, yes, centimeters, from the winner, he already Brazilian four-time champion Helio Castroneves. Palou was the leader of the test until the last lap, where some bends prevented him from fighting with Castroneves.

The teacher Adrián Campos

Palou, like so many prodigies of the four wheels, had, once he stood out in ‘karting’ and the first promotional competitions in the world of speed, the same godfather of many, for example, of Fernando Alonso, which was none other than Adrian Campos, who always said, yes, that Àlex was the one who most reminded him of ‘Nano’ in his early days, maybe that’s why he helped him. “The first day I saw Àlex run”, explained the Valencian manager, “I felt the same vibrations as when I saw Fernando run for the first time, the same”.

Palou found it difficult to start and, imitating Pedro Martinez de la RosaHe decided to make the leap to Japan to make a name for himself and, above all, to use those competitive championships as a springboard to the United States. At that moment, Palou stopped dreaming about F1, as he has just shown by touching the sky in the United States, at the Indy, in Indianapolis, one of the doors of the glory of his profession. Palou started brilliantly in Japanese F3 and, the following year, he was (deserved) to win the F-2 title, known as Super Formula, a title that he lost, yes, yes, in the last race.

“It hurts, it hurts a lot to finish second, but if the best in this business wins you, it hurts less”

Àlex Palou – Chip Ganassi team driver

But those exhibitions served him, as he wanted, for the good teams to notice him. And hired him Kazumichi Goh for his GT championship team (he raced a McLaren). That time did not go very well for Palou, but his performances did make the magnate Goh help him (another little push a la Adrián Campos) so that, later, Dale Coyne, owner of a team in Indy, gave him a test to make the jump to the USA. And he signed him, even though Coyne’s team was not one of the best.

Ultimate jump

Palou’s hands, his aggressiveness, his wisdom, his experience and, yes, of course, his manners and good results within the modesty of his car, made that, finally, Chip Ganassi, this is one of the best, if not the best, the IndySeries team (champion Scott Dixon runs in it, whom Palou defeated at the first exchange rate in Alabama), signed him to try to win the big US championship, ovals including Indy.

Alex Palou takes a selfie with Brazilian driver Ony Kanaan before the Indianapolis 500 race.


From the day he chose between the US and F1 until today, sorry, until last Sunday when he left half the world and the entire United States admired, Palou has been working on the glory and, above all, the consideration of a highly competitive world as are the races in the USA. Hence, his second place in the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, close to a four-time champion from 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2021, has extraordinary merit. Nobody will take him off that podium anymore, although he continues to dream big, of course.

“I’ll be back to win”

“It hurts, it hurts, even if it’s deep inside, to finish second after so much work well done, so many laps and, above all, let’s not fool ourselves, so many chances to win,” says Palou, very proud of what he has done. It is the best result of a Spaniard in 105 editions of the 500 Miles, since Oriol Servià, another ‘big’ in the USA, was fourth in the 2012 edition. “I can’t be angry, of course not! But we had a car to win, because Honda has provided us with a great engine. Of course there is no doubt that if the best in this business wins you, you should be proud of what you have done and how difficult you have made the champion win ”. And, yes, Palou promised that he will return next year to win “because experience, in the oval races, is vital.”

Palou will return and win because for something, it is no coincidence! number 10 in his car, the number of the stars, of the good-good, that of the true brains of sport.

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