It’s just one race, but it surely was one hell of an announcement by Alex Palou and Co. in Sunday’s Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
Palou efficiently defended final 12 months’s victory on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn non permanent road circuit, main 59 of 100 laps and coasting to a race report 12.4948s margin of victory. It was the kind of drive that reminded followers and rivals alike why he’s the reigning and four-time IndyCar Collection champion.
“We’re again,” Palou mentioned.
Barry Wanser, longtime workforce supervisor of Chip Ganassi Racing and Palou’s race strategist on the #10 Honda, summarized the efficiency about as succinctly as one might.
“I used to be requested to explain how Alex was (Sunday),” Wanser mentioned, “and it was actually perfection, however the entire workforce, the pit stops had been perfection, and everybody on the workforce did an amazing job.”
For a man that received eight races final 12 months, even the six-month lengthy offseason didn’t appear to halt Palou’s momentum.
“Unbelievable,” mentioned Palou, who now has 20 wins in 99 profession begins.
“I do not know what to say from this workforce anymore. It has been a protracted offseason. I used to be unhappy final 12 months that the season ended. I simply needed to proceed going, as a result of I knew it was so magical and so powerful to get such an amazing automotive, such an amazing workforce behind me.
“Yeah, this workforce has carried out it once more right here for this weekend. It’s extremely early on, however nonetheless, I feel that reveals all of the preparation they did, and I had by far one of the best automotive (Sunday).”
Through the post-race press convention, Motorsport.com requested Palou if he feels beatable.
“Sadly, yeah,” Palou mentioned.
When pressed additional on what he believes his weak spot is that will make him beatable, the 28-year-old Spaniard wasn’t able to reveal the key.
“I am not going to say it right here out loud,” Palou mentioned.
To which Wanser lightheartedly teased, “Would you like me to? No, I’m simply kidding.”
Palou wasn’t afraid to elaborate a bit extra, noting his failure to safe pole within the race and having to start out fourth. There was additionally the extra considered with the ability to brake later, get to energy sooner, and enhance the setup of the automotive.
“You may all the time carry on bettering, I really feel like, in all sports activities, which is the great thing about it,” Palou mentioned. “So, yeah, not going to let you know the place everyone can beat me, however…”
Palou’s rivals haven’t figured it out but, although.
“Yeah, each time I am on the rostrum, second or third, he is first,” mentioned Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard, who completed third. “It is fairly annoying.”
So how shut does Palou really feel his rivals are to him proper now?
“Nearer than it appears,” Palou mentioned. “It appears excellent on TV. It appears excellent on paper. It is truly tremendous shut.
“If you happen to do not make that call on the tires or that call on gasoline or the pit cease would not go effectively, you all of a sudden are usually not P1. You do not have clear air. You begin pushing extra, and all of a sudden you’re P4. You may go from a race that you simply win by 12 or 10 seconds to ending P4, and it solely takes one motion to not work for it to go dangerous.
“Actually, it isn’t simple to win races. Though it’d appear to be it, it takes loads of stuff to go effectively for it to occur.”
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