The attract of the Indianapolis 500 is tantalizing, but when had to decide on between a victory within the Biggest Spectacle in Racing in 2025 or a third-straight Astor Cup – – the Chip Ganassi Racing driver says he desires the season title becoming a member of a category of three (Ted Horn, 1946-48; Sebastien Bourdais, 2004-07; Dario Franchitti, 2009-11) as a substitute of 75.
However it’s not a straightforward alternative.
“I need to win the five hundred so dangerous. I do know what it’s, however I don’t assume anyone is aware of precisely how large it’s till you win it. No less than, that’s what I’ve heard from the drivers, together with what you’ll be able to see from the surface,” Palou informed IndyStar when requested the query throughout IndyCar content material days this week. “However profitable three IndyCar championships in a row is fairly candy as effectively.
“In all probability I’d say three championships in a row, after which win the Indy 500 in 2026, – that works, proper? I’d try this. But when it’s just one, after which that’s it, I have to retire, I’d clearly do the Indy 500. However I’m not going to retire now. I’ll get to the three championships after which the Indy 500 sooner or later.”
‘A loopy 4 years’:
Palou effectively is aware of – maybe as a lot as any driver of the final decade, save Pato O’Ward – simply how exceedingly troublesome it’s to win one 500, having gone three straight years (2021-23) the place he both was or ought to’ve been within the combine coming down the stretch, however fell brief. In solely his second begin, he led Laps 196, 197 and 198, solely to fall sufferer to a deft cross from eventual winner Helio Castroneves with two to go, a favor he wouldn’t have the ability to return as site visitors backed them each as much as the checkered flag.
The subsequent 12 months, an ill-timed warning after he’d dedicated to pit, however earlier than he’d entered pitlane, compelled him to cross by way of thrice (as soon as whereas closed, as soon as for emergency service and once more for a penalty) in fast transition, dropping from 1st to thirty first. In a private triumph of kinds, Palou fought all the way in which again as much as ninth by the checkered flag. And in 2023, a race he began on pole, the Ganassi driver fell sufferer to Rinus VeeKay dropping management of his ECR automobile popping out of his pit field, careening into the No. 10 Honda and forcing Palou to attend for a entrance wing change. Regardless of all of the mid-race chaos, he’d nonetheless end 4th.
Court docket paperwork:
His teammate of now 5 years Scott Dixon, who enters season No. 25 this 12 months, has famously received the five hundred simply as soon as, regardless of beginning on pole 5 occasions and coming tantalizingly shut (5 finishes of 2nd or third) extra occasions that one particular person deserves. Others of this era – Graham Rahal, Marco Andretti, Ed Carpenter and others – have made effectively over a dozen begins, run up on the entrance late a number of years, and but by no means come away with even one victory within the race.
As he’s poured over his strategy out and in of the cockpit this offseason, Palou was adamant that one factor he’s realized in his title-winning days is holding onto the identical strategy from the 12 months earlier than is a recipe to get left behind. Marrying that fixed evolution throughout a six-month championship, whereas additionally not making an attempt to do an excessive amount of in relation to IMS in Could, continues to be the Spaniard’s problem as he approaches 2025.
‘It is terrifying’
“I’m not saying we’re going to go loopy and alter all my stuff, however yeah, I’m making an attempt to vary some stuff, each bodily and mentally, in addition to the way in which I drive,” he stated. “Hopefully I can push myself in areas that I’ve been struggling the previous season. We’re going to vary just a little bit, see if it really works after which see if we may be upfront, however the competitors, we all know it’s going to be robust.
“All people, all of us begin from zero. You guys are me included, we’re not going to care about 2024 as soon as we’re in St. Pete. Possibly they’ll care in 15, 20 years after I retire, hopefully, however not now. I feel now it’s all about 2025.”
