Long Beach, California – Alex Palou delivered a masterclass in precision and patience on Sunday to win the 2026 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, securing his third victory at the historic street circuit and strengthening his grip on the IndyCar Series championship lead. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver started from pole position and never relinquished the lead, holding off a late charge from Pato O’Ward to claim the checkered flag in 1 hour, 42 minutes, and 18 seconds.
The win marks Palou’s second victory of the 2026 season and his 18th career IndyCar triumph. It too extends his record at Long Beach to three wins, joining Sébastien Bourdais and Scott Dixon as the only drivers to win the race three or more times. Palou led 78 of the 85 laps, surrendering the top spot only during pit stops before reclaiming it each time with flawless restarts.
“This track demands respect,” Palou said in victory lane. “You can’t rush it. You have to earn every inch. The team gave me a car that was balanced from lap one, and we managed the tires and fuel perfectly. Winning here again means a lot — it’s one of the toughest tracks on the calendar.”
O’Ward, driving for Arrow McLaren, finished second after a bold alternate strategy that saw him stay out longer on his primary tires in hopes of a caution that never came. The Mexican driver closed to within 1.3 seconds at the finish but ran out of laps to mount a serious challenge. “We gambled, and it almost paid off,” O’Ward said. “Alex was just too strong today. Hats off to him and his team.”
Third place went to Scott Dixon, Palou’s teammate at Chip Ganassi Racing, who completed a dominant 1-2-3 for the team. Dixon, a six-time Long Beach winner, used his experience to navigate traffic efficiently and preserve his tires for a strong finish. The result gives Ganassi its first 1-2-3 sweep at Long Beach since 2008.
The race, held under clear skies and mild temperatures in the 60s Fahrenheit (around 18–20°C), attracted an estimated crowd of 85,000 over the weekend, according to IndyCar officials. The temporary 1.968-mile circuit, winding through downtown Long Beach and past the Convention Center and Shoreline Drive, produced 12 lead changes among five drivers — but none came after Lap 25, when Palou settled into a comfortable rhythm.
Palou’s victory pushes his championship lead to 42 points over O’Ward, with Dixon third, 58 points behind. With five races remaining in the 14-event schedule, the Spaniard now holds the largest points advantage of his IndyCar career. “Consistency wins championships,” Palou said. “We’re not thinking about the title yet. We’re taking it one race at a time. But it’s nice to have a cushion.”
The result also highlights the growing competitiveness of Chip Ganassi Racing, which has now won three of the first six IndyCar races in 2026. Palou has won two, Dixon one, and Marcus Ericsson scored the team’s other victory at Barber Motorsports Park. The squad’s depth and reliability have become a hallmark of its early-season dominance.
O’Ward’s second-place finish keeps him in contention, but he will need to win multiple races and rely on Palou faltering to overturn the deficit. The Arrow McLaren driver has shown strong race pace but has struggled with qualifying consistency, starting no better than fourth in his last three races.
Other notable performances included Colton Herta finishing fourth for Andretti Global, his best result of the season after a unhurried start. Herta gained five positions during the race, using aggressive moves in traffic to climb from ninth on the grid. Fifth place went to Will Power of Team Penske, who recovered from a first-lap incident that dropped him to 18th.
The race featured one full-course caution on Lap 34 when Ryan Hunter-Reay spun exiting Turn 11 and contacted the barrier. The incident brought out the yellow for three laps, bunching the field and setting up a green-flag sprint to the finish. No injuries were reported, and Hunter-Reay continued in 16th place.
Palou’s win adds to his growing legacy at Long Beach, where he first won in 2022 and repeated in 2024. He is now the only active driver with three victories at the event. The Grand Prix of Long Beach, a staple of the IndyCar calendar since 1975 (with interruptions), remains one of the series’ most prestigious events due to its challenging layout and vibrant atmosphere.
Looking ahead, the IndyCar Series heads to Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama on April 26, 2026. The 2.38-mile road course has historically favored Penske and Ganassi drivers, with Palou winning there in 2023 and Dixon in 2022.
For now, Palou and Chip Ganassi Racing will savor a rare moment of dominance at one of motorsport’s most iconic venues. As the confetti fell and the team celebrated in victory lane, the message was clear: the defending champion is not just back — he’s setting the pace.
The next IndyCar race is the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park on April 26, 2026. Coverage begins at 12:30 p.m. CT (18:30 UTC) on NBC Sports and Peacock.
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