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Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou has been having an incredible season so far. He has finished the first two races of the year as a winner despite tough competition from his rivals.
Palou debuted in IndyCar in 2020 with Dale Coyne Racing, but he later moved to Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021. So far, he has 83 career race starts to his name and has achieved great achievements. With regard to the same, here are his top 5 standout achievements.
1. Alex Palou has three championship titles to his name
The 27-year-old has won three championships in the last four years of his career. His first championship came in 2021 with Chip Ganassi Racing. During that season, Palou had three wins and needed to finish in 12th position or higher to clinch the title. That season had the Long Beach Grand Prix as its season finale, and he managed to secure a fourth-place finish, claiming his maiden championship.
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He managed to secure back-to-back Championships in 2023 and 2024 as he put up a dominant display and won multiple races. The last time a Chip Ganassi driver won consecutive championships was when Dario Franchitti won 3 in a row between 2009-2011. Palou is currently in a comfortable position to win his fourth championship this season.
Palou has also added his name to the elite drivers club after securing three championships in four years. The drivers include Jimmy Bryan (1954, 1956-57), Dario Franchitti (2009-11), and Rick Mears (1979, 1981-82).
2. He has 13 race wins
Palou has recorded an impressive 13 race wins with just 83 career race starts. His 13th victory came recently after winning the Thermal Club Grand Prix held on March 23rd. So far, Palou has comfortably won the first 2 races of the season, which makes some people question if he will go after A.J. Foyt and Al Unser's 10 and 18 consecutive race wins.
3. 45 top 5 finishes
When Alex Palou isn't standing on the top step of the podium, he makes sure to put his #10 Chip Ganassi Racing car in the top five position. Most of these top-five finishes came during his third title campaign, and he got only two wins during this time. Despite not winning at the ovals, he consistently put his #10 Chip Ganassi car in the top five spots during the 2024 season alone.
4. Alex Palou has 60 top-10 finishes
When he doesn't win the race, Palou always manages to finish in the top 10, helping him score crucial points to secure the championship title. His consistency in finishing in the top 10 has helped him secure the 2023 championship.
5. Alex Palou has led 900 laps
During his 83 career starts, Palou has led 900 laps in the races he has participated in. The only time he did not lead a lap in a race was during his rookie year in 2020 with Dale Coyne Racing. The following data shows the number of laps the defending champion led over the years (Via Motorsport.com):
2020 - 1 Lap
2021 -137 Laps
2022 - 173 Laps
2023 - 379 Laps
2024 - 263 Laps
The 27-year-old is in a league of his own at the moment. For the 2025 championship, Alex Palou has a comfortable cushion of 39 points over Pato O'Ward, who is in second place in the drivers' championship.
