Alex Palou has become the first driver from Spain to win the prestigious Indianapolis 500, defeating Marcus Ericsson in a hard-fought contest at Indianapolis on Sunday.
The Spaniard secured his maiden Indy 500 victory with a decisive move just 14 laps from the finish. Palou executed a brave dive to the inside of former F1 competitor Ericsson at Turn 1 and successfully maintained the lead until the checkered flag.
Palou, who has been having a dominant 2025 IndyCar season with five wins from six races, is already a three-time series champion. This triumph at the Indy 500 solidifies his position among the sport`s greatest names.
“I can`t believe it! What an amazing day, what an amazing race!” an overjoyed Palou said after the win.
He added, “It`s amazing to be here and win. There were moments in the race where I felt really good, but I wasn`t sure if I could pass Marcus or not. But I made it happen. This is my first oval win, and there`s no better place to achieve it.”
The race saw five Safety Car periods in the opening half, but the final 94 laps were run under continuous green flag conditions.
Ericsson benefited from a strong strategy, taking his final pit stop later than most front-runners, emerging in the lead with 28 laps to go. However, Palou first worked his way past David Malukas, who finished third, before challenging Ericsson.
Palou`s winning pass on Ericsson will undoubtedly be considered one of the most significant overtakes of his career. He then expertly defended his lead against the Swede over the final 14 laps, navigating the challenging “dirty air” from traffic.
Defending champion Josef Newgarden was aiming to make history with a third consecutive Indy 500 win but encountered a fuel pressure issue in the latter stages of the race.
Pole-sitter Robert Shwartzman was involved in a dramatic incident during the race, crashing into his own pit crew.
Indy 500: Top 10 Finishers
- 1) Alex Palou
- 2) Marcus Ericsson
- 3) David Malukas
- 4) Pato O`Ward
- 5) Felix Rosenqvist
- 6) Kyle Kirkwood
- 7) Santino Ferrucci
- 8) Christian Rasmussen
- 9) Christian Lundgaard
- 10) Conor Daly
Wesley Dunham 
Gilbert Pendleton