Pole-sitter Palou races to Detroit Grand Prix win: 'Very tough today'

Detroit – It might have looked easy, but Alex Palou, a four-time IndyCar series champion, said winning the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix for the second time in four years was hardly a cakewalk.

Palou, who started from the pole for Chip Ganassi Racing, used an early pit strategy and led 71 laps for his third street course victory of the season. He held off a charge from last year’s race winner, Kyle Kirkwood, driving for Andretti Global, who was 3.0584 behind. Graham Rahal, who drives for Rahal Letterman Lanigan, was third in Sunday’s race after starting 12th. It was his third podium finish of the season.

"Tough, very tough today," said Palou, who leads the IndyCar series standings with a 62-point cushion. "It didn't really feel like we were leading that much. I knew we're leading, but man, that was a lot of work. It was not an easy day at all. There's races that are just straightforward, but today was plenty of action, struggling a lot on restarts and didn't know if we were going to make it with Kyle."

Palou took the lead in the 100-lap race for good on Lap 69 when Kirkwood pitted from the lead. Palou made his final pit stop at the end of Lap 63 and switched from the faster tires to the primary, harder tire that was more durable. There were seven lead changes and 173 total passes during the race on the notoriously bumpy, tight track.



https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/motor/2026/05/31/alex-palou-won-the-detroit-grand-prix-for-the-second-time-in-four-years/90281489007/