Hinchcliffe: There are no weaknesses in Palou's preparation.

      Spanish driver Alex Palou, at 28, has achieved impressive success in IndyCar and, of course, has already entered the history of American motorsport as a four-time champion of the series, whose record includes a victory in the classic Indy 500 race.

      But curiously, in an interview with the newspaper Marca, which he gave a few hours after the finish of yesterday’s round in Portland, where Alex clinched another title early, Formula 1 was not mentioned at all, although it would be logical if the makers of Cadillac’s factory team showed increased interest in him.

      We will return to Formula 1 later, but here is what Alex said about his new achievement:

      “In the beginning of the year I was asked what I would prefer: to win the title or the Indy 500, because it seemed impossible to do both. And I jokingly answered that I actually intended to win both. So the 2025 season can be considered perfect, because it’s an incredible achievement…

      Every year we make changes to the car setup, find solutions that suit us, and apply them. I think, overall, we are gradually improving in all aspects: driving, the car, and strategy. So the success became possible thanks to the combination of all these factors.

      Simply put, we won because this year everything came together the way we needed. There was also a bit of luck, but none of that changes the fact that next year we’ll have to start from scratch. I don’t think success will go to our heads — that doesn’t worry me, because I know the opposite will be true…

      In 2026 we will be in the spotlight, so we will have to work under additional pressure. I know it will be exactly like that, but I also know that winning races is not easy…”

      Canadian James Hinchcliffe, who once raced in IndyCar himself and now contributes to the official Formula 1 website, is thrilled with Palou’s achievements and believes there are no weak spots in the professional preparation of the Spanish driver:

      “When Palou appeared in the IndyCar paddock, he was an obscure driver from Japan’s Super Formula series, but he did everything to get people talking about him. But, to be honest, what he’s doing this season is hard to describe. He’s getting better in virtually everything.

      Now there are no weak spots in his preparation at all, and this year he didn’t just notch his first oval racetrack victory — winning the Indy 500, no less — he also added a win on the oval in Iowa…

      We’ve seen him behind the wheel of an F1 car, and the fact that the fight for his services is still ongoing speaks for itself. He insists he’s fully focused only on IndyCar, but it’s hard not to speculate that if he keeps winning everything, he might get bored and want a new challenge…”