Álex Palou has quickly become a name synonymous with success, already cementing himself as a racing legend at just 27-years-old. He went from being a rising talent to a certified superstar in just a few short years, continuously setting the bar higher and higher for both him and his fellow competitors. Now, he’s preparing to push the boundaries of performance yet again.
He claimed his third IndyCar championship in Nashville just a couple of short weeks ago with Chip Ganassi Racing, making him only the 13th driver in the history of the series to do so. Some would perhaps assume that he would be settling into some off-season downtime, but that’s simply not how he rolls. Instead, he has opted to take on a new challenge as he delves into the world of GT racing for the upcoming Indy 8 Hour.
“It’s been an amazing year for me,” expressed Palou. “Between IndyCar and endurance racing, I just want to be in a race car all day, every day. I’ve been living in Indianapolis for a little while now, and I knew that there was an SRO event here towards the end of the season, so I was very interested in trying to get a ride with a great team to finish out the year strong.”
His ambitions will soon become a reality, as the Spaniard is joining Lone Star Racing for the eight-hour endurance race, co-driving alongside Fabian Schiller and Luca Stolz in the No. 4 Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the IGTC Pro class.
Although he is widely regarded as being one of the best open-wheel racers in the world, with many arguing that he should be included in the greatest-of-all-time conversation, his limited experience in GT cars invites more room for growth.
“I’ve done GT racing in the past in Japan, but I would say it’s been more than five years now,” he said. “I’m extremely excited to be giving it another go.”
The opportunity to compete with Lone Star Racing came through fellow countrymen and racing sensation Daniel Juncadella, with Palou explaining that “he is a great friend of mine, and I’ve had conversations with him over the past couple of years about getting him to introduce me to GT racing. From there, I was lucky enough to be put in touch with AMG, and they agreed to bring me on board.”
Despite the hefty learning curve that comes with adapting to GT3 machinery, it is not in Palou’s nature to back down from a challenge. Instead, he consistently takes the opportunity to rise to the occasion. His optimism could hardly be contained as he discussed this latest endeavor, with him noting that he is particularly looking forward to driving around IMS under the night sky.
“I’ve never done that,” he exclaimed. “I’ve driven night stints before in other races, but I think this will be completely different since I’ve never been to the Speedway at night. In general, I’m excited to be racing against so many majorly talented drivers and teams in such a big setting. I’m really pumped to be a part of it, and I’m eager to get in the car and see how it feels. Hopefully we’ll be in the fight, and I can help the team so we can be on top.”
No matter the setting, Palou continuously delivers standout performances, and while he has definitively established himself as the one to beat in IndyCar, he also wants to prove himself as a worthy competitor amongst the GT giants.
“It’s very fun that I’ll get the chance to race against other IndyCar drivers in this race too,” he added. “In Nashville, Conor (Daly) and I were actually trash talking each other about this race, we’re both super thrilled, but I think we’re equally excited about trying to be on the same level as the rest of these amazing drivers that will be on the grid. I’ll be doing everything I can to get up to speed as quickly as possible.”
Palou’s numerous prior accomplishments include two wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2023 and 2024 on the road course layout, and he is adamant about wanting to secure another victory at the Brickyard.
“Every race for me is important and takes up my full focus,” he pointed out. “Now that I’ve finished my IndyCar season, all I can think about is this next event. It would be extremely special to win again here in a new way. I’ve won here twice before, and it was super emotional, so I hope I can make another great memory, this time in a different series and another type of racing.”
“You go through a lot when you’re sharing the car,” he continued. “An eight-hour race is a lot to manage instead of just 50 to 100 laps like I’m used to. A lot can happen, I’m sure we’ll go through both good times and maybe some tough times too, but in the end we’re all hoping to be able to kiss the bricks, and maybe I can use it as an opportunity to practice for the day I win the Indy 500.”
To witness Álex Palou fight for the win in the Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS, get your tickets now and join us at IMS from October 4th to 6th for the season finale event.