"The commercial was a last-minute surprise”: Alex Palou reveals how FOX Sports' promo was an unplanned venture

FOX Sports made several promotional campaigns for IndyCar, and reigning champion Alex Palou starred in one such promo. While his promo gained traction among fans and reached new viewers, the Spaniard opened up about how the advertisement was a last-minute surprise for him.

Three promotional videos were made by FOX for the 2025 IndyCar season broadcast. The first one featured Josef Newgarden and Tom Brady and spooled up the IndyCar hype train as the reigning two-time Indy 500 winner took center stage.

Then, the second promo starred Alex Palou, which reminded fans about who reigns the sport as the 27-year-old looks to complete a three-peat at the championship this year. The last commercial included up-and-coming Pato O'Ward and showcased the IndyCar grid's variability and the storylines that could develop during the upcoming season.

Though all three pre-season promotions had massive reaches, they were inherently unplanned for drivers. Palou revealed how he had been on vacation in his home country, in Spain, when he got the call to fly to Las Vegas for the commercial shoot. He wrote in his blog (translated from Spanish via Soymotor):

"The commercial was a last-minute surprise. I was already on vacation in Spain, but they called me to come to Los Angeles in mid-December to do a day of filming. I arrived jet-lagged and left without knowing what time it was, but we managed it and it turned out pretty well. Initially, they told me the commercial would air during the NFL playoffs, but they ended up airing it during the Super Bowl, which is amazing.

"I'm not going to lie: I come from where I'm from and haven't followed the Super Bowl since I was little, but when you live in the United States, you realize how important it is. It's huge globally, but in the United States, it's a cultural phenomenon. Everyone is paying attention. IndyCar advertising is everywhere. We've been featured in the first two NASCAR races, and the other day I was tagged on Instagram, and I saw that the ad also appears in some gas stations, which have a TV inside where they show ads... So it's all great."

These commercials helped aid FOX and IndyCar reach a broadcast milestone, as the St. Petersburg Grand Prix averaged 1.4 million viewers, a race that was won by Alex Palou.

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A dream start for Alex Palou in his title defense bid

Alex Palou at the INDYCAR Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg - Source: Getty

The Chip Ganassi Racing driver was not in prime position for a win after qualifying eighth for the race. However, he made his strategy work and took the chequered flag home as the race winner.

Almost a repeat of the same feat was witnessed at the Thermal Club. Palou qualified third on the grid but made an impressive charge in the latter phase of the race and overtook Pato O'Ward on lap 56 for the eventual race victory.

Moreover, the two straight wins have helped him mount a 39-point lead in the championship in the early stages. This has helped Alex Palou muster his best-ever start to a championship season in IndyCar.

So, this early lead could help the Spaniard later down the line while defending his reign on the elusive championship amid threats from rivals.