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Fox Sports
10-08-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Tuned To Perfection: Alex Palou's Latest INDYCAR Title One For History Books
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Tuned To Perfection: Alex Palou's Latest INDYCAR Title One For History Books Published Aug. 10, 2025 5:48 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link Dario Franchitti freely admits he loves watching Alex Palou race. Sure, he loves to watch Palou win. But how Palou gets it done truly impresses the four-time INDYCAR champion who has remained at Chip Ganassi Racing to coach drivers. Not that Palou needs much coaching. "He has a beautiful driving style, which I really appreciate," Franchitti said. "I love watching. "He's like playing an instrument when he drives a car." Palou has orchestrated a symphony that some would consider unprecedented by clinching the 2025 title Sunday at Portland International Raceway. And that's with two more races left in the season. He doesn't just emulate one instrument when he's in his ride. At times, he drives as smooth as a saxophone in perfect swing. When he needs to stomp, he crushes like a professional drummer. From the opening lap of the opening practice, he has played Reveille on a bugle while the competition stumbles in, waking up around him. ADVERTISEMENT "It's unprecedented in modern times, obviously," said his team owner Chip Ganassi. "We're really, really pleased and excited and happy watching him be a part of history." Ganassi has seen his drivers dominate, but not like this. While Franchitti compiled 31 victories in his INDYCAR career, he never won more than five races in a season. He once combined with Scott Dixon to win 10 races in a year for Chip Ganassi Racing. Palou? The 28-year-old won five of the first six races of 2025 and eight of the 14 prior to Portland. A record-tying 10-win season remains a possibility for him to match A.J. Foyt and Al Unser. Palou joined the list of drivers with four championships: Foyt (seven), Dixon (six), Mario Andretti (four), Sebastien Bourdais (four) and Franchitti (four). "It's amazing," Palou said. "I'm enjoying it a lot. I'm enjoying every single moment. "It's not that I'm not conscious about what's going on. It's just that I cannot really believe it, and I'm just riding the wave and enjoying every single second of it and having fun." It's not just those who work within the walls of Ganassi who've watched this historic season in awe. Several drivers who know first-hand the feeling of dominating an open-wheel season look at what Palou has done and can't believe what they see. Don't forget — all the cars come from Dallara. The engines either come from Chevrolet or Honda. He hasn't acquired or built a car to out-engineer the competition. And Palou has, at times, outrun the field by seconds. "I can only compare that to when someone has a big advantage car-wise in Formula 1," said Will Power, who won six races in 2011 and has 45 career INDYCAR victories. "You don't see that dominance in a one-make series like INDYCAR. That's what's so exceptional about it. "Exceptional. You can't deny that guy … he probably should be in Formula 1. It is just so incredible." Palou's teammate Dixon, the winner of six titles with a career-best six-win season in 2008, knows he might not witness such a historic season again. "You just have years like that, and it just flows," Dixon said about what he's seen out of Palou this year. "It's not even a confidence thing. It's just kind of you turn up, and you expect everything to go right." Of course, it goes right with the strength of the team, led by longtime strategist Barry Wanser, engineer Julian Robertson and crew chief Ricky Davis. They matched setups to Palou's ability so they could find the sweet spot of exactly how hard to push the current INDYCAR tires (both the hards and the softs). They've strategized to figure out how smooth to drive it to get the best fuel mileage. "You can't say enough good things about what that whole group is doing," Dixon said. "They're just doing a better job than everybody else." When Palou won four of the first five races of 2025, it appeared he could have a career year. After all, he had "only" won 11 races in his first five seasons, despite earning three Astor Cup trophies as the champion. And up until the Indianapolis 500, he had never won on an oval. So questions lingered. When he won the 500, it answered the question about any hurdles remaining. It unleashed a driver who has now also won at Iowa. Street course, permanent road course, superspeedway or short oval — it hasn't mattered this season. Palou has won at them. "I thought, to be honest, up to the Indy 500 like 'All right, the momentum is great, everything's falling into place,'" said Helio Castroneves, winner of four Indy 500s and 31 INDYCAR races. "And now, it's still there. And even then, understand seasons like this, it's very, very, rare that it happens where you might capitalize on everything you can." Sure, Palou had some luck along the way. Some of the top competitors for the Indy 500 had mechanical issues or crashes. The caution came out at the right time for him to win at Iowa when Josef Newgarden led lap after lap after lap. For the most part, Palou and Wanser chose a strategy and it worked. Palou has not had a mechanical failure all season. The only race he didn't finish came at Detroit, thanks to a hit by David Malukas. As other drivers see it, Palou shouldn't feel guilty that he has capitalized on some breaks. "You've just got to bank and take it and don't look back," Castroneves said. Even if he hadn't gotten a break here and there, Palou would still have controlled his championship destiny. Seasons like this just don't happen. The last driver to earn eight wins in a season was Sebastien Bourdais in 2007. Before then, it was eight wins in 1994 by Al Unser Jr. "I can't compare it," Ganassi said. "This guy is in a league of his own." For 17 consecutive seasons from 2006-2022, no driver clinched before the final race. Now Palou has done it twice and both came at Portland, with one race to go in 2023 and now two races remaining in 2025. "What Palou is doing is so impressive in this day and age … to be that dominant" Power said. "It's not like they've been lucky wins. They've been dominant wins. "I like seeing that. It lifts everyone's game. You have to study someone and understand why they are fast and what it is about their execution on race day that is allowing it to work out for them." Some have compared his level of dominance this year to Alex Zanardi in winning 12 races in 1997-98. Palou won his title in his sixth season, one more than it took Bourdais to earn his fourth but quicker than Foyt (seven seasons), Franchitti (14), Dixon (15) and Andretti (21). "Certainly, all four of mine came down to the last race, and in some cases, the last lap," Franchitti said about comparing their championship runs. "The last one I remember with that level [of dominance] was Zanardi. It's quite something." Graham Rahal, a 19-year veteran of the series, saw his father, Bobby Rahal, win six races in 1986. "It's impressive," Rahal said. "It's more impressive now than it was even in my dad's era because there was a bigger separation between teams and competitiveness back then." Rahal indicated there is some separation between the Ganassi cars and the entire grid this year. He points to Dixon amid the top five in the standings and the stark improvement of young driver Kyffin Simpson. "Those cars are clearly a step ahead of everybody else, too," Rahal said. "That's a reality. But Alex maximizes it in every phase." In some racing series, when a driver or team displays such dominations, the whispers get louder and louder of whether they have some unfair advantage. But no one seems to think that. "I can promise you there's not some blatant cheating thing going on," Power said. "That group is just executing so well. The driver is executing well. He's just doing an incredibly good job." Few drivers know that feeling. AJ Allmendinger won five Champ Car races in 2006 during the time when there were two competing open-wheel series. He said not getting complacent, and for Palou, the ability to not race conservatively just to win a title has helped him crush the competition. "It's honestly phenomenal watching what he's doing because I feel like, just like the Cup Series, you could argue INDYCAR is the most competitive series in the world right now, and he's just destroying everybody," Allmendinger said. "I just remember winning those races, you just walk into the racetrack with so much confidence, knowing that everybody, as you walk in, is looking at you, saying 'How do we beat this guy?'" They probably look with some annoyance, Allmendinger said. "You just don't see dominance in INDYCAR by one specific driver usually" Allmendinger said. "It's pretty special to watch. "I know for all of them, it's probably a little bit of annoying. But to be able to watch greatness as it's happening is something that I really enjoy." That's especially the view from those on the inside at Ganassi, even for those whose records Palou could eventually break. As Franchitti said, Palou drives as if he plays a musical instrument. But he plays it still seeking ways to make the sound ever more smooth, even more crisp. "From a team point of view and from a driver point of view, it's bloody impressive," Franchitti said. "Alex continues to perform at his incredibly high level, but he keeps looking for more. "He's constantly questioning, he's constantly asking, he's constantly looking to improve himself. He's a hell of a package." Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. share
Fox Sports
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
'No attack, no chance': Plug-and-play Takuma Sato goes for third Indy 500 win
Bruce Martin Special to INDIANAPOLIS — Takuma Sato is the ultimate plug-and-play driver in the 109th Indianapolis 500. Just put him in the cockpit and watch him go fast. His motto is no attack, no chance. The 48-year-old driver from Tokyo competes in one race a year — the Indianapolis 500 — and he continues to be one of the fastest drivers at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The two-time Indianapolis 500-winning driver has an excellent chance to become a three-time Indy winner on Sunday. He drove the No. 75 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda to the second starting position, the middle of Row 1, with a four-lap average speed of 232.478 miles per hour. "I know one thing, I know Takuma is fast," one of the team's three owners, Michael Lanigan, told FOX Sports. "He's brave, and he's smart. It gives me a big comforting feeling knowing that whenever he's in the car, there's a chance for him to win." Sato is making his 16th start in the Indianapolis 500 and his seventh in the 500-Mile Race for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. His first Indy 500 start was in 2010 with KV Racing Technology. He started 31st and finished 20th. Two years later, he was in the Indy 500 with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, and it's a day that changed his career path. He battled Dario Franchitti of Chip Ganassi Racing to the end. Franchitti was attempting to win the Indy 500 for the third time in his career. Sato was trying to score his first INDYCAR win. As the two drivers went into Turn 1 on the final lap, Sato dove to the low side of the turn to pass Franchitti on the inside. Franchitti pinched off the lane, Sato's car dipped across the painted white line that separates the race track from the apron and lost control. Sato's Honda spun and slammed hard into the outside wall in Turn 1. Franchitti went on to take the checkered flag, but from that point forward, Sato became a fan favorite for his daring racing style. "I think I've said it many times, but Takuma is a pro," primary owner and winning driver of the 1986 Indianapolis 500 Bobby Rahal told FOX Sports. "The guy, he's a hell of a race car driver. I've watched him race when he was in Formula 3, when I was at Jaguar Formula One, and he was always at the front. "When he came to us in 2012, we damn near won this race, and I didn't think we had a chance in hell. "It wasn't because we had the best car. It was because he took it there." Sato had gained the respect, love and friendship of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Unfortunately, the team did not have enough sponsorship to retain Sato for the 2013 season, and he signed a contract with AJ Foyt Racing. Sato drove to his first INDYCAR win with Foyt in the 2013 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. It was the last time AJ Foyt Racing has won a race in INDYCAR. He nearly won a second-straight race in the next contest on the schedule in Sao Paulo, Brazil and entered the month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway leading the INDYCAR Series points. Sato remained with Foyt through the 2016 season before joining what is now known as Andretti Global. It was a combination that made tremendous sense because Sato was the hero of Japan and Andretti was the top Honda team in IndyCar. With Sato behind the wheel of the Andretti Honda, he became the first driver from Japan to win the Indianapolis 500 in its long history when he drove to the victory in 2017. It was a popular victory internationally, and the famed Borg-Warner Trophy went on the road for an international trip for the first time ever. Fans in Japan turned out by the thousands during the many personal appearances Palou made with the Borg-Warner Trophy in Tokyo and at Twin Ring Motegi, a race course about three hours away from the world's largest city. They also made a stop in Mount Fuji. Sato won at Portland in 2018 before returning home to Rahal Letterman Lanigan in 2019. He won from the pole at Barber Motorsports Park and won on the oval at Gateway Motorsports Park later that season, finishing ninth in the championship. Sato was on a roll entering 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world. The INDYCAR Series season was delayed until June 6 of that year, and most of the races were held with severe limitations for spectators. That included the Indianapolis 500, the only time in the history of the race it was moved off its traditional Memorial Day Weekend race date because of COVID. It was held on August 23, 2020, at an empty Indianapolis Motor Speedway because fans were not allowed to attend. Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing led 111 laps in the 200-lap contest, but he couldn't shake Sato, who led 27 laps. Late in the race, Sato was stretching his tank of fuel and if the race remained green, he was going to have to pit in the closing laps. But fate intervened as Spencer Pigot slammed into the pit road attenuators in a massive crash with five laps to go. The caution came out and Dixon was convinced Sato couldn't make it to the finish. But Sato was good to the last drop and made it to the checkered flag, winning his second Indianapolis 500. "I think Scott Dixon still hasn't gotten over the fact that he was going to make it on fuel," Rahal said. "He's just a pro. I just love having him with us. I think he brings great value to us as a driver, as a person. And also, let's face it, he's a great representative for the country of Japan. "That's pretty cool to have somebody like that in your car." Sato had full-time rides in 2021 and 2022 before a limited schedule with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2023. He finished seventh in that year's Indy 500. Sato came back home, once again, to Rahal Letterman Racing for one race in 2024. He started 10th and finished 14th in the 108th Indianapolis 500. He is back again this May and with one of the fastest rides in the field, Sato could join the likes of Louis Meyer, Wilbur Shaw, Mauri Rose, Bobby Unser, Johnny Rutherford and Dario Franchitti as three-time winners of the Indianapolis 500. Sato is plugged in, and now he is ready to hit play. "There is no secret, I just simply enjoy it," Sato told FOX Sports in an exclusive interview. "The moment in the cockpit with the steering wheel, pedals I love it. And the sensation of going fast, the age hasn't slowed me down so far. "I enjoy the environment and like the challenge." Sato admitted being out of the cockpit for 11 months before returning for the month of May is not an ideal situation, but he remains sharp because of experience. "I have a lot of adrenaline and feel good," Sato said. "I have enough experience, even being out of the car for a long time, that I can get back in the car and immediately get back to where I was. "I can't express the reason I jump into a car immediately and do well. I just simply like it." Sato helps young drivers in Japan with a driver development program. He also uses the Honda simulator for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, but that doesn't replace real-life racing. Sato is confident he has a "great chance" of winning his third Indianapolis 500 on Sunday. "We have narrowed with the top teams, the Ganassi boys and Penskes are strong in traffic, but hopefully we will be as competitive as they are," Sato said. He backed up his qualifying pace from Sunday with the third-fastest speed in Monday's full-field practice at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Sato's top speed was 226.087 mph in race setup. INDYCAR points leader Alex Palou was the fastest at 226.765 mph in the No. 10 DHL Honda followed by four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves at 226.441 mph in the No. 06 Honda for Meyer Shank Racing followed by Sato. Castroneves is the oldest driver in the field at 50 and he is going for a record fifth Indy 500 win. Sato is the second oldest and the two are proving that the old guys can still drive a fast race car. "Takuma sometimes can really go for it," Castroneves told FOX Sports. "No wonder he's a two-time Indy 500 champ. He likes the style of this race. He has experience. He takes risks and it pays off sometimes. "With the experience he has, it shows they are doing a great job. It's good to see him up there. "It will be good to get up to him and race him during the Indianapolis 500." For the plug-and-play driver of the Indianapolis 500, Sato is determined to hit the winning note on Sunday. Bruce Martin is a veteran motorsports writer and contributor to Follow him on X at @BruceMartin_500 . BEST OF FOX SPORTS' INDY 500 COVERAGE: Pato O'Ward pens letter to Indy 500: 'Had my heart broken here … but it also fuels me' Marcus Ericsson calls winning 2022 Indy 500 'a dream come true' in letter to fans From 'magical' to 'legendary': Drivers describe the Indy 500 in one word 2025 Indy 500 liveries: See the designs of all 34 cars on the track at The Brickyard Everything to know about the Indy 500: Entry list, schedule, Carb Day, favorites Counting down the 25 most memorable moments in Indy 500 history INDYCAR Power Rankings: Will the Indy 500 jumble this list? recommended Get more from NTT INDYCAR SERIES Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Scottish Sun
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
‘Don't tell the wife' – Scottish sports star splashes over £4MILLION on two of the world's most expensive supercars
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SCOTS driving legend Dario Franchitti has revealed he has ordered two of the world's most expensive supercars without telling his wife. The four-time IndyCar champion is to splash out on two luxury motors worth more than £4 million made by former Formula 1 racing car designer Gordon Murray. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Dario Franchitti has ordered two of the world's most expensive supercars 6 Franchitti test drives the vehicles for Gordon Murray's manufacturing business 6 The T33 Spider is priced at £1.8million and is mid-development 6 Franchitti test drove the T50, priced at £2.8million, and was desperate to have one The Gordon Murray T50 is priced at £2.8 million and the Gordon Murray T33 Spider costs £1.8 million. Franchitti performed test drives of the cars and showed them off to potential customers as part of his role as a development driver with Murray's car manufacturing business. He decided he had to have a model each for himself because he wants to drive them on country roads in his native Scotland. However he feels his extravagant purchases may land him in hot water with his wife Eleanor. Speaking on YouTube channel The Late Brake Show, Bathgate-born Franchitti, 51, said: "I have ordered a T50 and I have also ordered a T33 Spider. "If my wife is watching this, Ellie, switch off now. "It started off with me doing the launch of T50 with Gordon during Covid and he said to me 'Do you want one?' "I said 'I would love one but it's a lot of money'. "I had just bought a house and a Daytona Spider in the same week, it was expensive times, and I just thought 'I can't'. "So I didn't do it and we did the launch and within two days they all sold. Dario Franchitti: It has been emotional "I was alright about it at that point and then I drove it for the first time. "I got home and went to bed and I couldn't sleep. "I just kept imagining driving across some Scottish moorland road. "I wrote Gordon this long email about why I should have one and what I would do with it and all this stuff. "I went back for the second phase of testing on it and he put his arm around me and said 'Don't worry, we kept you a prototype back'. "It's such a wonderful car. "We are mid-development with the T33. "What a car, I love it. "I'm really excited about that one too." The T50 is inspired by the F1 car Murray designed for McLaren and has a top speed of 226mph. The open-top two-seater T33 Spider is designed to be compact and light and is powered by a 4.0-litre Cosworth-built V12 engine which revs to 11,100rpm. Franchitti said he had to sell some cars from his luxury collection to help him afford the new supercars. 6 Celtic-daft Franchitti was married to Hollywood star Ashley Judd but they split in 2013 Credit: SNS 6 He married wife Eleanor in 2015 and the pair have two children Credit: Getty Images - Getty He was forced to retire after he escaped death in a 200mph crash in which he suffered two broken vertebrae, a fractured right ankle and concussion which damaged his brain. The Scot was left with a limp and memory loss after the accident in Houston, Texas in 2013. Franchitti split from his first wife, the Hollywood star Ashley Judd, shortly before his career ending crash. He married Eleanor in 2015 and the couple have two children. He started racing karts at West of Scotland Kart Club in Larkhall and tested at Knockhill, near Dunfermline. He won his first karting title aged 11 and went on to race at the British Championship. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
