Palou leads Indianapolis 500 grid with speed record

Álex Palou took pole position in the 2026 Milhas 500 with an average lap of 232.148 mph (373.78 km/h), setting an impressive mark on the Indiana track. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver will position himself at the front of the 33-car grid in the 110th edition of the classic single-seater race, scheduled for Sunday. The performance consolidates the moment of excellence experienced by the Spaniard in the series, which has won the championship in four of the last five seasons.

Palou arrives on Sunday looking to repeat the feat achieved the previous year, when he won the race. If he can repeat his victory, he would become just the seventh driver to win the Milhas 500 in consecutive years and just the third since 1971. The speed record in qualifying highlights the superior performance of the Ganassi machine and the performance of the team’s pillar.

Veteranos looking for history

Josef Newgarden, who won the Milhas 500 in 2023 and 2024, is trying to win his third title. The Chevrolet Penske driver starts in 23rd position on the grid, eight rows behind Palou. Caso kisses the original bricks of Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the third time, tradition of race winners, Newgarden will become only the 11th driver to achieve three or more victories in the competition’s history.

Outro The name that attracts attention is Helio Castroneves, the oldest driver on the grid at 51 years old. The veteran surprised in 2021 by winning the race at the age of 47 and becoming only the fourth driver to achieve four victories, equaling A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr. and Rick Mears. A fifth victory would place him at a level considered unattainable in the history of the race.

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Companheiros team and challenges

Kyffin Simpson, Palou’s teammate in Ganassi, starts two rows behind the Spanish driver. Simpson acknowledged the difficulty in keeping up with his team partner’s performance.

• Álex Palou — pole position, 232.148 mph
• Josef Newgarden — 23rd position on the grid
• Helio Castroneves — 51 years old, four previous wins
• Takuma Sato — two-time champion, 59 IndyCar victories
• Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Will Power, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Alexander Rossi also confirmed

Recordes and legacy

The 500 Milhas of Indianápolis invented a significant part of what the public knows about motor racing. Desde from the rear-view mirror, which debuted on the car of the winner of the first edition in 1911, to the traditional phrase “Drivers, start your engines!”, the race consolidated its place among the Estados Unidos’s most important sporting events.

The grid will feature nine former champions of the race. Takuma Sato, two-time Milhas 500 champion, is the second-most winner of all IndyCar races with 59 victories, behind only A.J. Foyt. The participation of so many previous winners highlights the importance and tradition of the competition.

Lesões and final preparation

Alexander Rossi suffered injuries to his left hand and right ankle after an accident during qualifying. The driver, second placed in previous editions, confirmed his participation on Sunday, despite his injuries. Sua’s presence reaffirms the competitors’ commitment to one of the essential events on the international motorsport calendar.