Alex Palou is on fire this season and no one has an extinguisher

Bruce Martin
Special for Foxsports.com

Indianapolis – In a city full of institutions, two of the most famous in the capital of Indiana are the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and a venerable establishment in the center: St. Elmo Steakhouse. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened in 1909 and celebrated the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911. St. Elmo Steakhouse opened in 1902 and has become famous for its shrimp cocktail that burns the tongue, made with fresh.

Then, to continue with that topic, Saturday’s Sansio Grand Prix in the course of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road is the appetizer, or in this case, the shrimp cocktail of St. Elmo. The palate appears for the party that follows on May 25, on the 109 of Indianapolis 500.

The Saturday race 12 of the Grand Prix of Sonsio was as predictable as the burning burn of the first bite of the shrimp cocktail, since Alex Palou de Chipsei Racing won him for the third consecutive year.

It was also his fourth victory in the first five races of the 2025 season of the NTT Indycar series. Palou has won three NTT series championships Indycar in four seasons, including the last two consecutive ones. Enter the 109th Indianapolis 500 with an advantage of 97 points over Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti global in the battle for the championship.

Palou’s last victory was a spicy matter. He started in the post, but lost the advantage in curve 1 when Graham Rahal or Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing passed it at the exit.

Rahal would lead 49 laps in the 85 -laps race, but Palou was damaging him as a 90 -day dried chuleton, ready to devour the juicy piece of meat.

Finally, it happened in Tour 58, when No. 10 DHL Honda de Palou went next to Honda No. 15 of Rahal through the part of the road box. Palou completed the pass in curve 7 and never looked back.

“I like the shrimp cocktail,” Palou told Foxsports.com. “It’s very spicy and very hot.

“But I really like a great juicy steak, and for me, that would be to win the Indianapolis 500.”

Palou knows everything about bringing heat, since he is flames in Indycar and nobody has a fire extinguisher.

Then came another surprise for the 2025 NTT Indycar Series season.

A yellow flag.

That’s right, the yellow flag actually made its second appearance of the season, the first since Laps 1-6 was exhibited at the Firestone Grand Prix of the St. Petersburg Season on March 2. From that moment on, Indycar races have included 408 laps of green flag races.

That non-late race is restarted and, ultimately, there are no chans to compete for the position. This has played with Palou’s domain this season.

On Tour 70, David Malukas, Aj Foyt Racing Chevrolet, left the course at the same time and stagnated. Indianapolis Motor Speedway fans sitting on the front Schetch reacted when imploring the flagman that shakes the yellow flag.

When the control of Indycar’s career finally issued caution and yellow flags stirred, fans released with the strongest joy of the race.

Who knew that precautionary periods were so popular?

“I thought there was going to be a caution in Tour 1 today because turn 1 is difficult. But special turn 7, we have usually seen many or accidents,” said Palou later. “So, when that did not happen, I was, like” Oh, man, there is a possibility that all those who execute the same strategy are forced to do that, that might not be yellow at all. “

“I don’t know what happened. I don’t know that it was a mechanical problem or simply contact. But I didn’t like that, to see caution. Every time there was a caution, it was, like,” no, come on, I just go. “

Interviews after the race: Álex Palou and Pato O’ward

Palou had no reason to worry because the green flag was stirred in Tour 72 and Chevrolet of Pato O’ward was second, Palou was able to accumulate his advantage and lead to his 15th victory in his career.

“Yes, I am happy that only with the restart could we maintain leadership,” said Palou.

The other pilots in the races did not share the same feeling.

Rahal told his racing strategist and his stand after the race that the Honda de Chipsei Racing have a speed and handling so superior that they can accelerate at a different pace in the singles and can easily advance and still move away.

Palou defeated O’ward for 5,484 seconds in the 13 final laps. Rahal was visible frustrated in Pit Lane that after a brilliant race, he lost control of the rear tires at the end of the races and ended sixth.

“Those carsi cars are in their own league,” Rahal said. “The grip they have, the ability to continue so close compared to everyone else, I don’t know.

“It’s not just Alex. It was the same with Scott Diaxon. I was really proud. I did it once, no, I didn’t put a bad wheel, I defended the best I could.

NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Highlights by Sonsio Grand Prix

“They are alone in their own league. It is a different grip stratosphere.

“I did my best. I tried to drive as unforgivating as I could because that was the only way to overcome them. We are simply not in his league at this time.”

But no one in Indycar is in the Palou League at this time. He won the first two races of the season, then finished second at the Aceura Grand Prix of April 13 of Long Beach to Kyle Kirkwood.

Since that time, Palou has recovered with victories of two consequences, including the Alabama de Alabama Indeves Alabama Grand Prix at the Barber Motorsports Park and the Sabsio Grand Prix on Saturday in the course of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road.

“I tried,” Rahal told Foxsports.com. “They are very fast and not just a little. It is everywhere. They accelerate at a different rate. It’s as if they had 10 additional impulse pounds.

“It’s wild.

“I made all the drivers come and went down today in Pit Lane to contribute it to me. We did the best we could, and I tried to make them proud, but they are at a different level at this time and we all have a lot putting myself up to date.”

Bruce Martin is a veteran writer and collaborator of Motorsports by Foxsports.cometro. Follow it in X in @Brumartin_500.