The Olympics may have its grand opening ceremonies, but the Indianapolis 500 has a Grand Prix.
For the 10th time, the Month of May kicks off its glorious racing schedule Saturday (May 11) with the NTT IndyCar Series Sonsio Grand Prix of Indianapolis. What better way to open Indianapolis Motor Speedway up for all the festivities that make up the Greatest Spectacle in Racing than a 85-lap motorsport contest on a 2.439-mile, FIA Grade 1 circuit.
The road course that goes the opposite direction than what will be done on Memorial Day weekend is a low-drag vs. high-downforce battle as teams aim to go fast down the main frontstretch over the yard of bricks and Hulman Blvd. backstretch or be able to have high commitment cornering in the tight sections.
Team Penske has been the dominant squad over the first six races, winning five of them. But lately it’s been an event that has leaned towards other teams in the paddock coming out with the win.
May is here, and so are the stories.
Last Year
Who knew? When Alex Palou crossed the Yard of Bricks for his first win at the Indy road course in 2023, no one expected what was to come. After leading for 52 laps, the Spaniard would go on one of the most dominant performances in IndyCar history, winning three races after the Indy 500, a runner-up at Toronto and had fate been nicer to him (or not, the dude had four wins in five races!) he’d have his face on the Borg-Warner Trophy.
Hats off to Scott Dixon for trying to make the championship battle exciting in the final stretch, but Palou won the Astor Cup based on his awesome early summer run.
Palou will definitely be challenging for the win Saturday. His last two permanent road course finishes are a win at Thermal Club and fifth at Barber Motorsports Park two weeks ago.
Here’s the scariest part, though, that should send shivers down his competitors’ spines. He has started his season better this year than he did in 2023. While an eighth was his worse finish in the four events leading up to May, he hasn’t placed outside the top five yet this year. Somehow he has started the defense of his title in better position than when he went on a historic tear for a second championship.
And it started at the Indy Grand Prix.
Former Winners
The first six races held were split evenly between two drivers – Will Power and Simon Pagenaud. However since Rinus VeeKay took his only IndyCar win on the road course in 2021,…
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