Indianapolis, IN – Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou wins his first Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, and his 5th race of the 2025 season.
Alex Palou just made history – and took a giant swig of milk to celebrate it.
The Spanish star captured his first-ever oval win in the most iconic way possible: by winning the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500. His dramatic victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday not only clinched the sport’s biggest prize, but also etched his name onto the legendary Borg-Warner Trophy – the first Spaniard to ever do so.
“This is the best milk I’ve ever tasted,” Palou said from Victory Lane, beaming after his breakthrough moment. “What an amazing feeling.”
The race ended under caution after rookie Nolan Siegel crashed in Turn 2 on the final lap, sealing Palou’s triumph. The three-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion had surged past Marcus Ericsson on Lap 187 and never looked back, taking control in the final stretch of the 200-lap showdown.
“I can’t believe it,” Palou said. “I didn’t know if I could get by Marcus, but I made it happen. What a place to get my first oval win!”
The win marks Palou’s fifth in six races this season, widening his championship lead to a massive 115 points. But more than that, it puts him in rarefied air among the greats of open-wheel racing.
“It’s a career-defining moment,” said team owner Chip Ganassi. “It’s going to change Alex Palou’s life – it’s already changed mine.”
A Battle of Wits and Nerves
The race wasn’t without chaos. A weather delay pushed the start back by 43 minutes, and the early going saw six caution periods in the first 108 laps. High-profile drivers including Scott McLaughlin, Marco Andretti, and NASCAR’s Kyle Larson were knocked out in separate incidents.
But the second half turned into a high-speed chess match of pit stops and strategy.
David Malukas, bouncing back from an injury that sidelined him in 2024, finished a career-best third for A.J. Foyt Enterprises. He briefly led late before Palou squeezed past him amid heavy traffic. Marcus Ericsson, who won in 2022 and finished second in 2023, once again found himself runner-up – this time by a heartbreakingly narrow margin.
“I should’ve covered the inside,” a visibly disappointed Ericsson said. “It’s painful. Second again.”
Defending champ Josef Newgarden’s shot at a third straight 500 ended early due to mechanical issues, leaving him 25th.
Pato O’Ward came home fourth for Arrow McLaren – his fourth top-four finish in the past five Indy 500s – and Felix Rosenqvist rounded out the top five.
Rookie pole-sitter Robert Shwartzman saw his day unravel after a pit lane mishap on Lap 87 sent his car into the wall and ended his debut with a 29th-place finish.
A Cold Day, a Hot Finish
With temps in the 60s and thick cloud cover, the race had an unusual feel, but it was classic Indy in its drama and speed. Fans in the sold-out crowd of 350,000 were on their feet late as Palou made his decisive move on Ericsson with just 13 laps to go.
Ericsson tried to chase him down but never found the speed or space to strike back.
“It’s winner-take-all here, and we came so close,” Ericsson said.
But for Palou, the day belonged entirely to him – a champion on the rise, now fully arrived.
“I still can’t believe it,” he said. “We just won the Indy 500.”
