An Indy 500 triumph was the final item missing from Alex Palou’s IndyCar career.
An Indy 500 triumph was the final item missing from Alex Palou IndyCar career.
As Nolan Siegel crashed before the leaders crossed the checkered flag, the three-time IndyCar Series champion held off the 2022 Indy 500 winner and 2023 runner-up to win the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” under caution. He passed Marcus Ericsson with 14 laps left.
Alex Palou became the first Spaniard to win the storied race, which began in 1911, while piloting the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
“It’s unbelievable. I’m thrilled to be here. After getting out of his car, an ecstatic Alex Palou remarked, “Winning is amazing.” “First oval victory. What better location?
Palou had won season titles in 2021, 2023, and 2024, making him the most dominant driver in the NTT IndyCar Series in recent years. Surprisingly, before Sunday, none of the 28-year-old’s 13 victories during that time had taken place on an oval.
Alex Palou went on to say, “It was difficult out there, especially when you were like third or fourth in the pack.” “The team encouraged me to take the lead, and I certainly wanted to, but I succeeded. I haven’t even begun to celebrate yet, and I already lost my voice.
Ericsson came in second with the Andretti Global Honda, number 28. Felix Rosenqvist came in fifth, Pato O’Ward in fourth, and David Malukas in third. After experiencing mechanical issues, two-time defending race winner Josef Newgarden finished 25th, while four-time Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves finished 13th.
In an attempt to become the first driver since Tony Stewart in 2001 to finish the motorsports double—racing the Coca-Cola 600 and the Indianapolis 500 on the same day—NASCAR driver Kyle Larson crashed on lap 92 and finished 27th. Following his incident, he promptly boarded a helicopter to fly to Charlotte, North Carolina, for the NASCAR Cup Series event, which is a marathon.
The 2025 Indianapolis 500 was fully covered by USA TODAY Sports. For a summary and highlights of all the action, scroll below:
Indy 500 2025 results: Top 10 finishers
Here are the top-10 finishers in the 2025 Indy 500 (with car number in parentheses, team and car manufacturer):
- (10) Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda
- (28) Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global, Honda
- (4) David Malukas, A.J. Foyt Enterprises, Chevrolet
- (5) Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren, Chevrolet
- (60) Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, Honda
- (27) Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global, Honda
- (14) Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Enterprises, Chevrolet
- (21) Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing, Chevrolet
- (7) Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren, Chevrolet (76)
- (76) Conor Daly, Juncos Hollinger Racing, Chevrolet
Winner of the Indianapolis 500 Alex Palou will be at the Pacers’ postseason game.
The city of Indianapolis Alex Palou, the winner of the Indianapolis 500, said that he would be going to the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday night for Game 3. Before going downtown, he had plenty of time to rejoice with his followers, kiss the bricks, drink the milk, and do a ton of interviews.
As they host the second half of the “Racers and Pacers” doubleheader at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Indiana Pacers lead the New York Knicks 2-0.
As the new Indy champion, Palou stated, “That will be good,” referring to seeing the NBA playoff game live. — Scott Horner, Indianapolis Star
Why does the winner of the Indianapolis 500 drink milk?
It all began in 1936 when Louis Meyer drank buttermilk in victory lane. The story goes that Meyer drank the milk because his mother told him it would cool him down on a hot day.
A dairy industry official saw a picture of Meyer drinking the milk and decided that winners would be able to get it too. In the 1950s, the Indiana Dairy Association became an official backer. Now, every driver is asked what kind of milk they would like—whole, skim, or 2%—just in case they get to drink it while celebrating.
Alex Palou was one of 29 drivers who chose whole milk before the race. — Rachel Bowers
