McLaughlin podiums in Alabama
Alex Palou’s win by 16.003 seconds in Alabama on May 4 was the most dormant IndyCar outing since Dixon’s 2023 win in Illinois by 22.225.
After Palou took pole of McLaughlin with a 1:07.291 and gap of +0.146, the Penske Chevrolet machine could only stick the back off him for two laps on the 17-turn, 3.7 km natural-terrain road course.
He would go on to lead 81 of 91 laps in the all green-running affair, whilst McLaren’s Lundgaard kept up his podium run – a third straight – as well as taking second on the table from Kirkwood.
It was Palou’s 15th career win, whilst he has already matched his win tally of 2024 that saw him emphatically cruise to the title.
It leaves him 60 points clear in the race for the Astor Cup, which for a driver that only ran outside of the top-ten on four occasions last season, could already be an seemingly impossible gap to close down.
The ease of the win could also be seen in his push-to-pass credits, finishing the race with 63 seconds left in the boost tank.
“It was a perfect day, and a perfect weekend,” Palou said.
“The car was amazing, super fast. I had a ton of fun. I was a bit lonely there, but I loved it.”
And for the first time this season McLaughlin also finished on the podium to put himself top-five in the championship after holding off charging Dutchman Rinus VeeKay.
The former three-time Supercars champion could only tip his hat to Palou’s sheer dominance.
“When the guy is on top of his game, you just can do the best you can, in that regard,” McLaughlin said.
“I feel like week in and week out we can challenge him. But if he keeps executing like this, all we can do is execute as well.”
For Aussie Penske racer Will Power, he continued to slowly find his form in 2025, finishing in fifth place – his third consecutive top-six, whilst Dixon could only manage 12th after starting in 26th owing to a visit into the gravel trap during qualifying – his worst start since 2021.
The only factor that can give solace to the other 26 machines going forward is that Palou is yet to win the Indy 500, or for that matter, an oval race. But before the big one, he heads for Indiana on a track where he has won two-straight…
Before the 109th Indianapolis 500 on May 25, the field will take on the Indianapolis Road Course on May 10, where Paulo is on a collision course for a triple.
Buy the new issue of Auto Action Premium HERE
Read the new issue of Auto Action Digital HERE
Don’t forget the print edition of Auto Action available via subscription here or you can purchase a copy of the latest issue from one of our outlets here. For more of the latest motorsport news, subscribe to AUTO ACTION magazine
