Legend has it that great motor racing circuits like Monaco, Le Mans and Indianapolis choose their winners. Alex Palou was the champion of the contest in 2021, and the Spanish anthem was set to be sung by him in 2022. The Spanish generation’s most famous single-seater championship in America was won by a Catalan driver. He was much farther away.
Palou was a mere luxury guest in a race that Marcus Ericsson won. He was very unhappy with the yellow flags, especially after the 100 laps at The Brickyard. This caught him just before refueling and he couldn’t return. He was the first to go, he had demonstrated leadership ability and many considered him a great candidate. He ended up being weighed down by that extra stop, and he finished ninth in the Indianapolis 500 knowing very little.
Jimmie Johnson’s crash with five laps remaining forced Ericsson to raise a red flag, which led to Ericsson’s victory in the final sprint. He had victory in his hands and, despite Pato O’Ward’s attempts to make him the Mexican winner after Sergio Perez in F1 Monaco GP, he refused to let it go.
Palou feels like he missed an opportunity. Palou was a fast fighter and appeared to be in a good position to compete with Dixon and other legends on this oval. His long career didn’t favor him, and he will need to wait at least one year before attempting conquest.
