Spanish driver Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing officially secured his fifth IndyCar championship on Sunday at the Milwaukee Mile in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The title marks Palou's fourth consecutive IndyCar championship, equaling the historic record set by French driver Sebastien Bourdais between 2004 and 2007.
Palou is now the third driver with the most championship titles in IndyCar history, standing just one title behind Scott Dixon and two behind A.J. Foyt.
The driver, born in Sant Antoni de Vilamajor in 1997, entered the weekend doubleheader at Milwaukee holding a 91-point lead over his closest challenger, Kyle Kirkwood.
After finishing fifth in the earlier contest on Sunday, Palou needed only to finish 20th or better in the final race to secure the championship trophy.
Palou chose a steady strategy and avoided taking unnecessary risks on the track. He allowed Mexican driver Pato O'Ward, who won both races on Sunday, to battle with David Malukas and Rinus Veekay at the front of the field.
Palou crossed the line in tenth place, which was more than enough to confirm his fifth championship title in six years.
Speaking after stepping out of his race car, Palou said the achievement was incredible and that he did not know what to say. He added that he was very proud of his team after what he described as a very complicated day, but said it felt phenomenal to capture another championship and that the team was ready for the next challenge.
Weather delays and schedule changes at Milwaukee
The championship celebration followed a series of logistical setbacks and severe weather delays over the past week.
Palou faced technical difficulties during events in Washington last week before heavy rain hit the Milwaukee area over the weekend.
The original Saturday race at the Milwaukee Mile was delayed by rain and then interrupted after 90 of the scheduled 250 laps. At the time of the stoppage, O'Ward held the lead, Palou was in 14th place, Danish driver Christian Lundgaard was fifth, and Kirkwood sat seventh.
IndyCar organizers initially attempted to restart and complete that race at 8:00 a.m. local time on Sunday morning. However, persistent rain and difficulties drying the oval track surface forced officials to alter the schedule once again.
The postponed Saturday race was eventually completed on Sunday afternoon, three hours after the conclusion of the second scheduled Milwaukee Mile race.
Championship standing and final race at Laguna Seca
IndyCar is the premier level of open-wheel single-seater motorsport in North America, featuring a mix of oval tracks, street circuits, and permanent road courses.
Chip Ganassi Racing, based in Indianapolis, is one of the most successful organizations in American racing history, having claimed multi-series titles across several decades.
With his latest victory, Palou solidifies his standing alongside American motorsport legend A.J. Foyt, who holds seven titles, and his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon, who has earned six titles.
Palou will enter the final race of the IndyCar season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, holding an unassailable 100-point lead over Kirkwood.
