For the first time in nearly two years, Álex Palou loses the lead in the IndyCar championship

Álex Palou had been leading the championship for 622 days IndyCar, after his victory at Laguna Seca in 2024. The Spaniard indeed led the fight for the title until the end of that season, winning his third crown, before adding a fourth in 2025. Winner in the streets of St. Petersburg, the Indy 500 winner had never relinquished control of the championship.

Having secured another victory in Florida to kick off the 2026 season, Palou had been enjoying undisputed dominance in IndyCar since June 23, 2024, but his reign came to an end on Saturday in Phoenix, Arizona. After 21 laps, the No. 10 Dallara-Honda crashed into the outside wall following contact with Rinus VeeKay (Juncos Hollinger Racing). This relegated Álex Palou to fifth place in a championship now led by Josef Newgarden. The three-time defending champion, resigned to the situation, believes that such things happen, even if they are not ideal.

TROUBLE for Alex Palou early and is OUT 😬

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/KJsep0QAGi

- NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) March 7, 2026

“I haven’t reviewed the incident yet. I don’t know if I didn’t leave enough room or if someone got a little too close! I didn’t know there was someone to my right; I need to look to see if there really was space or not. It’s a real shame to have to abandon the race already, but that’s racing, that’s how it is.”

When questioned six days earlier after his twentieth IndyCar victory in St. Petersburg, Palou had replied "Unfortunately, no." The question of whether he was unbeatable or not was never answered. His 100th IndyCar start proved that, indeed, the Spaniard could still be beaten. No doubt this will further fuel his motivation heading into the third race of the season next Sunday on the streets of Arlington, Texas.

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