Alex Palou Provides a Psychological Technique Masterclass for Profitable the Indy 500

Alex Palou is driving excessive this week following his history-making Indianapolis 500 win—but his focus is already centered on staying bodily contemporary and mentally razor sharp for his subsequent race.

The 28-year-old Spaniard is now not simply recognized solely by these within the auto racing know. By crossing the end line first on the Brickyard this previous Sunday, Palou immediately grew to become a worldwide famous person. And he’s been on prime of the world all week—or not less than as excessive because the remark deck of New York Metropolis’s Empire State Constructing, simply certainly one of dozens of media commitments which additionally included stops at Nasdaq headquarters, a New York Mets recreation, and appearances on dozens and dozens of speak reveals worldwide.

Even whereas having fun with all this celebratory chaos, Palou discovered methods to squeeze in moments to take care of bodily health, formal apparel and all. “I attempt to maintain transferring—I used to be performing some pushups simply to get blood flowing,” he says. “It’s powerful as a result of I don’t have a lot time, and it’s not good to be sitting all day or transferring lower than I usually do.”

For Palou, sustaining peak bodily situation has turn into a non-negotiable—his endurance on and off the monitor has helped gas the unequalled psychological acuity that has set him other than opponents by a large margin this 12 months.Up to now in 2025, Palou has gained 5 of six races, and one runner up.

A part of his success lies in his skill to maximise each second, even when it’s just a few body-weight reps at a time.

So what was behind the masterful technique to overtake runner-up Marcus Ericsson on Lap 187 —an inside move that’s already completely etched as one essentially the most exhilarating moments in IndyCar historical past? What appeared to many race observers as Palou profiting from a second of alternative on the final second was the truth is, based on the three-time Indycar champion, a meticulously calculated maneuver miles within the making.

“I’d been interested by that transfer for 20 laps,” Palou reveals. “That’s the place the chess recreation begins… I used to be second, and [Ericsson] was first. There was some site visitors, and I began feeling the automotive, getting runs, and scouting my second. As soon as I noticed a niche with an excellent run, I knew I needed to make the transfer early. Ready would solely damage me and shrink my possibilities. When the chance got here, I went for it.”

Palou’s calm but relentless psychological method didn’t simply assist declare him the lead—he admits a split-second choices saved him from a catastrophic mistake in a race already crammed with chaos and calamity.

“Individuals don’t all the time see how a lot we’re pushing the boundaries till one thing huge occurs,” he displays. “However we’re all the time there—proper there on the sting.”

Preparation Results in ‘Luck’ for Alex Palou

The 109th operating of the Indianapolis 500 was crammed with drama even earlier than the race started. Pole sitter Scott McLaughlin misplaced management throughout warmups and by no means took the inexperienced flag. Rookie pole sitter Robert Schwarzman misjudged his pit crew’s place, crashing into them earlier than the race even began. Kyle Larson’s formidable effort to finish each the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Charlotte 600 in in the future ended when he spun into the wall. Alexander Rossi’s threw his gloves in his disgust after a gearbox failure led to a fiery pit lane explosion.

Within the chaos, Palou’s calm and management carried him by means of—however not with out having to keep away from his personal race-ending catastrophe. Whereas issues seemed clean from begin to end for the Indy 500 winner, with about 15 laps left throughout his ultimate pit cease, Palou admits to approaching Pit Highway too quick, inflicting his automotive to slip sideways. If he acquired a delay penalty—his day could be over lengthy earlier than his thrilling win.

“I went into the pit tremendous fast—too fast,” he says. “If I used to be simply 2 mph over, I’d’ve been out of the race.”

As a champion, nonetheless, the sooner Palou was capable of let go of a nasty scenario and transfer on was as vital because the pace of his Ganassi No. 10 DHL Honda.

“As quickly as I entered [Pit Lane] and it was all good, I received on the radio and mentioned, ‘Pit Lane, that it,’” he says. “It simply takes half a second to change your thoughts and be like, Okay, subsequent. You can’t actually deal with simply occurred— good or dangerous. That’s gone, we have to deal with what’s subsequent.”

For Alex Palou, Racing Is a Chess Sport on and off the Monitor

Palou’s race-winning execution in passing Ericsson on Lap 187 was by no means a matter of if, however a matter of when. “I knew I used to be doing it, and I knew I’m doing it that lap,” he says.  “You’re simply deciding whether or not you’re happening the within or the surface.”

Regardless of all of the precision in bodily and psychological preparation that led to Palou’s victory, Mom Nature did her finest to derail the three-time Indycar winner’s plans earlier than the race even started. One other of the hidden challenges of Sunday’s race was staying hydrated, even in cool 60-degree circumstances. Sunday’s 36-minute rain delay didn’t assist, taking part in havoc with Palou’s fluid steadiness whereas the vehicles remained nonetheless on the monitor.

Whereas the 375,000-plus followers on the sold-out Indianapolis Motor Speedway had been celebrating his win, exterior of Victory Lane, Palou’s first request was a bottle of water.

“I used to be hydrating so much earlier than the race,” he remembers, “so earlier than it began, I felt like I needed to pee as a result of we weren’t sweating, it wasn’t heat, and we weren’t transferring.” However as soon as the inexperienced flag waved, the problem persevered. “All through the race, the necessity simply stored growing. I couldn’t drink a lot through the race—I had a drink system, however I used to be already full and couldn’t soak up extra water.”

Dehydration hit onerous as soon as the race was over. “As quickly as I completed, I used to be dehydrated as a result of I hadn’t hydrated through the race. Then I began operating and celebrating, and the joy hit me abruptly—I felt dangerous. I wanted water, air, area. There have been tons of cameras and other people from the group round me, and I used to be like, ‘Guys, simply give me one second, please.’ Then I relaxed slightly after consuming some water, and I felt nice once more.”

The bodily toll was caught on digital camera, however Palou’s day was solely warming up. Later that night, carrying the long-lasting Indy wreath, he was the visitor of honor on the NBA Japanese Convention championship recreation between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks. TNT NBA analyst Reggie Miller couldn’t assist however ask about Palou’s Whoop rating—a biometric measure of exertion and restoration.

Palou admitted his rating was fairly excessive, however not completely due to the race itself. “It was 20—it was excessive, however not loopy,” he says. Whoop detected an exercise separate from the race, and that was the celebration. I burned extra energy and used extra vitality [celebrating] than I did within the race.”

Studying from Errors Is the Key to Indycar Dominance

Growing the power to remain calm and targeted is a talent Palou says can’t come from merely watching movie or hitting weightroom. It’s years repetition—and shedding—on the highest ranges of racing and entry-level go kart racing that helped put together Palou to turn into racing’s most dominant driver. “I believe you put together that in your profession,” he says. “It’s one thing that you just begin creating once you’re a child in go karts and also you’re doing races and extra races, and also you get in numerous eventualities. If there’s a niche, you go for it, or perhaps it’s not sufficient. It’s a talent that you just develop all through the years.”

One in every of Palou’s most memorable and painful classes that has helped along with his improvement was his 2021 runner up end to four-time Indy champion Helio Castroneves. “He was capable of learn the site visitors so much higher than I used to be at the moment,” he admits.  “He truly used the site visitors into his benefit …and I used to be the alternative…You by no means know till you go for it. However I had an concept that it was the same scenario to what I had in 2021.”

 

Identical Outdated Alex Palou This Sunday

All through this week’s celebrations, Palou says he did his finest to not less than maintain his weight loss plan in examine whereas his coaching was restricted. “I’ve been consuming actually good and wholesome thus far,” he says. “It’s going to place me in the appropriate place. My throat was dangerous after the celebration, however it’s getting higher. I’ll eat a salad with quinoa and lots of fruit to get as many nutritional vitamins as potential.”

When the classes are throughout, it’s again to work for Palou, beginning with this Sunday’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. He then will get a well-earned two-week break earlier than heading to Bommarito Auto Group s 500 on June 15.

I’m going to permit myself to take pleasure in each single second of it till subsequent 12 months,” he says.  “However that doesn’t change that after we go to Detroit. I can’t end fifteenth and be like, yeah, I completed fifteenth, however I’m the Indy 500 winner. It doesn’t go like that for me.”

Following Sunday’s race, Palou will reap the benefits of his transient break to loosen up as a lot as potential at residence as potential and provides his physique the remainder it deserves—which means restoration.

“It’s gonna be good to be at residence, loosen up, get some some sleep, get better. and begin constructing once more,” he says. “Want to start out constructing all that muscle I’ve misplaced over the previous two weeks. It was intense on the speedway these previous two weeks. You’re there for 12 hours a day—theres no time to do the rest.”