Alex Palou Provides a Psychological Technique Masterclass for Successful 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 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 world celebrity. And he’s been on high of the world all week—or no less than as excessive because the commentary deck of New York Metropolis’s Empire State Constructing, simply one in every of dozens of media commitments which additionally included stops at Nasdaq headquarters, a New York Mets sport, and appearances on dozens and dozens of speak exhibits worldwide.

Even whereas having fun with all this celebratory chaos, Palou discovered methods to squeeze in moments to keep up bodily health, formal apparel and all. “I try 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 develop into a non-negotiable—his endurance on and off the observe has helped gasoline the unequalled psychological acuity that has set him other than opponents by a large margin this yr.To date in 2025, Palou has received 5 of six races, and one runner up.

A part of his success lies in his means 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 cross that’s already completely etched as one probably 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 in actual fact, in accordance with the three-time Indycar champion, a meticulously calculated maneuver miles within the making.

“I’d been fascinated about that transfer for 20 laps,” Palou reveals. “That’s the place the chess sport 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 spot with a great run, I knew I needed to make the transfer early. Ready would solely harm 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 selections saved him from a catastrophic mistake in a race already full of chaos and calamity.

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

Preparation Results in ‘Luck’ for Alex Palou

The 109th operating of the Indianapolis 500 was full of 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 bold effort to finish each the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Charlotte 600 in sooner or later 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 way of—however not with out having to keep away from his personal race-ending catastrophe. Whereas issues appeared easy from begin to end for the Indy 500 winner, with about 15 laps left throughout his closing pit cease, Palou admits to approaching Pit Street too quick, inflicting his automotive to slip sideways. If he obtained 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 quicker Palou was in a position to let go of a foul 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 modify your thoughts and be like, Okay, subsequent. You can not actually concentrate on simply occurred— good or dangerous. That’s gone, we have to concentrate on what’s subsequent.”

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

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 occurring 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 situations. Sunday’s 36-minute rain delay didn’t assist, enjoying havoc with Palou’s fluid steadiness whereas the automobiles remained nonetheless on the observe.

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

“I used to be hydrating loads 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 issue persevered. “All through the race, the necessity simply stored growing. I couldn’t drink a lot in the course of the race—I had a drink system, however I used to be already full and couldn’t absorb extra water.”

Dehydration hit exhausting 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 in the course of the race. Then I began operating and celebrating, and the thrill hit me instantly—I felt dangerous. I wanted water, air, house. There have been tons of cameras and folks from the staff round me, and I used to be like, ‘Guys, simply give me one second, please.’ Then I relaxed a bit 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 Jap Convention championship sport 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 fully 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

Creating the flexibility 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 develop into racing’s most dominant driver. “I believe you put together that in your profession,” he says. “It’s one thing that you simply begin growing while you’re a child in go karts and also you’re doing races and extra races, and also you get in several eventualities. If there’s a spot, you go for it, or possibly it’s not sufficient. It’s a talent that you simply develop all through the years.”

One among 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 in a position to learn the site visitors loads higher than I used to be at the moment,” he admits.  “He really 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 an analogous scenario to what I had in 2021.”

 

Similar Outdated Alex Palou This Sunday

All through this week’s celebrations, Palou says he did his finest to no less than maintain his weight-reduction plan in examine whereas his coaching was restricted. “I’ve been consuming actually good and wholesome to this point,” 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 numerous fruit to get as many nutritional vitamins as doable.”

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 yr,” he says.  “However that doesn’t change that after we go to Detroit. I can not 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 make the most of his temporary break to chill out as a lot as doable at residence as doable and provides his physique the remaining it deserves—which means restoration.

“It’s gonna be good to be at residence, chill out, get some some sleep, get well. and begin constructing once more,” he says. “Want to begin 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.”