In a thrilling display of undisputed racing prowess, Alex Palou, the Spanish sensation, took the IndyCar world by storm with an electrifying victory at the Thermal Club Grand Prix. The 28-year-old Chip Ganassi Racing star has been on a hot streak, kicking off the 2025 season with a powerful performance that saw him notch up his 13th career IndyCar win, and second consecutive win, thereby cementing his early supremacy in the championship standings.
Driving the No.10 DHL Honda with unmatched finesse, Palou is on an impressive trajectory, chasing an unprecedented third consecutive series title, and his fourth in the past five years. His competitors have been left gasping in his wake, struggling to match the pace set by this unstoppable juggernaut.
The Sunday event at The Thermal Club Grand Prix witnessed Palou pulling off an extraordinary comeback, despite starting in third place. He not only chased down pole sitter Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren, who had been dominating the majority of the race, but also managed to overcome a significant lead, displaying an awe-inspiring performance that left audiences worldwide on the edge of their seats.
Commenting on his triumphant weekend, Palou said, “We had a really fast car since practice. Everybody executed really well. The car executed perfectly.”
The victory was an exquisite blend of Palou’s skill and his team’s strategic brilliance. After his final pit stop at Lap 49, Palou and his team made a tactical choice to opt for the softer and faster Firestone Firehawk alternate compound tires, which offered a significant speed advantage over O’Ward, who chose the harder primary tires. This decision was pivotal in helping Palou close a nine-second gap within just five laps, and eventually secure his victory.
Palou’s decisive move on O’Ward on Lap 56 was a masterstroke. He slipped past his rival at Turn 7, a long left-handed corner, and from then on, he only extended his lead, crossing the finish line a staggering 10.1854 seconds ahead of O’Ward’s Arrow McLaren.
Despite missing out on his eighth career IndyCar win, a stoic O’Ward vowed to “keep pushing”, refusing to let this setback dampen his spirits.
The race also saw some noteworthy performances from the rest of the field. Denmark’s Christian Lundgaard secured a commendable third place in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, after a gruelling battle for the second spot with Palou. American driver Colton Herta performed well securing the fourth place for Andretti Global, while Felix Rosenqvist rounded out the top five for Meyer Shank Racing.
The race was not without its share of heartbreaks, with Scott McLaughlin retiring early due to hybrid overheating issues following a collision with Devlin DeFrancesco. However, none of this detracted from the spectacle that was Alex Palou’s stunning victory at the Thermal Club Grand Prix.
With back-to-back wins under his belt, Palou has set a blistering pace in the 2025 IndyCar season. The spotlight now shifts to the streets of Long Beach for the Acura Grand Prix on April 13, where the racing phenom will aim to extend his winning streak. If his rivals hope to topple him, they’ll need to step up their game and challenge this Spanish superstar’s title aspirations.