The Best Racing Driver on the Planet is a Spaniard You Have Probably Never Heard Of

Let’s talk about Alex Palou’s unreal 2025 Indycar season.

He’s won four of the first five races, leading the championship by 60 points. This isn’t just winning—it’s domination. At 28, with three titles (2021, 2023, 2024), Palou’s run is historic, and his talent is generational.

Here’s why it’s special, compared to IndyCar, other motorsport, Tiger Woods, and why he might be the world’s best driver.

Palou’s 2025: By the Numbers
Palou’s four wins in five races (per X posts) match Dan Wheldon’s 2005 start, a feat unseen since. His only “off” day was second at Long Beach. He’s won by double-digit margins, like 16 seconds at Barber, and leads 1,000 career laps in 85 starts, outpacing Scott Dixon. He’s crushing a stacked field—Power, Newgarden, O’Ward—with no car advantage.


Palou’s streak rivals A.J. Foyt (seven wins, 1964) or Mario Andretti (six, 1969), but today’s IndyCar is deeper. Dario Franchitti’s 2009–2011 three-peat is close, but Palou’s four-of-five start is unmatched since Wheldon. Dixon’s 2020 three-win kickoff leaned on experience; Palou’s doing this at 28, with 14 wins in 85 starts.

In Formula 1, Michael Schumacher (11 wins, 2002) and Lewis Hamilton (six titles, 2014–2020) dominated, but with vastly superior cars compared to the rest of the field.

NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson won five straight titles (2006–2010), but not with Palou’s win rate. Palou’s success in IndyCar’s spec series is unprecedented in Indycar - it’s like watching Tiger in the late 90s/early 2000s

Palou’s run lacks modern IndyCar precedent. Only Franchitti and Bourdais have three-peated, and no one’s started this hot since 2005. At 28, he’s younger than most legends at their peak.


Why Palou’s Talent Is Generational

Palou isn’t just winning—he’s doing it with a poise and versatility that scream “once-in-a-generation.”

He’s not flashy like Pato O’Ward or aggressive like Josef Newgarden; he’s surgical, picking his moments to strike. His racecraft, like at St. Pete where he capitalized on teammate Dixon’s radio issues, shows a veteran’s cunning in a young man’s body.

What’s wild is Palou’s still got holes in his game—he’s yet to win on an oval or at the Indy 500, goals he’s openly chasing in 2025.

Yet he’s won three championships while “figuring out” ovals, a testament to his road-course mastery and consistency.

He has 30 podiums in 67 starts with Ganassi and 13 top-fives in 17 races in 2024.


Is Palou the Best Driver on the Planet?

Right now, Palou might just be the best racecar driver alive. His dominance in IndyCar—a series with equal cars and fierce competition—shows a level of raw talent that transcends equipment. If you dropped him into Formula 1 with a top-tier ride, like a Red Bull or McLaren, there’s every reason to believe he’d be battling Max Verstappen for wins.

His Super Formula stint in 2019, where he won in a less competitive car, proved he can adapt to single-seaters anywhere.

Palou’s tire management, racecraft, and mental toughness rival F1’s best, and his ability to win without a car advantage suggests he’d thrive in F1’s tech-heavy environment. Verstappen’s three straight titles are impressive, but he’s had the fastest car; Palou’s winning on pure skill.

If McLaren had signed him in 2022 instead of stalling, we might already be talking about Palou as an F1 champion. For now, IndyCar’s his playground, and he’s schooling everyone.

Palou’s four-of-five is unprecedented in IndyCar’s competitive era. Schumacher and Hamilton had car edges; Palou doesn’t. His run rivals Tiger’s 2000 or Serena’s 2015 but in a team sport with tighter margins. A fourth title or Indy 500 win could make him IndyCar’s GOAT.

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Palou’s 2025 is like Tiger’s putts or Jordan’s jumpers—pure greatness. The Indy 500 looms, but his title chase is the story.