Carlos Sainz drops 4-word reaction to Alex Palou winning the Indy500

Carlos Sainz congratulated Alex Palou in four words after the Spanish driver claimed the Indy 500 victory. Palou, who races for Chip Ganassi Racing in the IndyCar Series, held off Marcus Ericsson to seal a thrilling win.

Sainz shared IndyCar's post on Palou and congratulated his compatriot on Instagram. He wrote:

"ENORME @alexpalou!! CARRERÓN!! FELICIDADES"

Sainz congratulated his Spanish compatriot in their language, which meant, "Huge @alexpalou!! Great race!! Congratulations!"

Credit: Carlos Sainz's Instagram/@carlossainz55

The Indy 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is IndyCar's biggest race, and it takes place on the same day as NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Formula 1's Monaco Grand Prix, all renowned and prestigious races.

Alex Palou started from P6 after a decent qualifying and led 14 laps before taking the checkered Flag. David Malukas completed the podium, while Pato O'Ward and Felix Rosenqvist wrapped up the Top 5.

Kyle Kirkwood, Santino Ferrucci, Christian Rasmussen, Christian Lundgaard, and Conor Daly completed the Top 10. Thanks to his victory, Palou is expected to receive around $3.8 to $4.5 million as prize money from a nearly $19 million prize pool.

Sainz has switched teams this year, as he had to make way for Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari. In doing so, he joined Alex Albon and James Vowles (team principal) at Williams on a multi-year deal.

Carlos Sainz criticized Monaco GP amid F1's failed experiment

Following the conclusion of the 2025 Monaco GP, Carlos Sainz called out the 'slow pace' of the race at the Principality. Speaking to the media in the post-race interview, the Williams driver said:

"Today is not how we want to go racing and I think the way us and other teams were able to hold up the pace and build gaps shouldn't be what the Monaco Grand Prix is all about."

Carlos Sainz Jr. of Spain at Circuit de Monaco - Source: Getty

This year's Monaco GP, the eighth race of this season, came with two mandatory pit stops to bring more excitement for fans. However, it was regarded as a failed attempt, as there was no movement in the Top four in terms of qualifying and race.

Sainz came home in P10, behind his teammate, Alex Albon, and ahead of Mercedes' George Russell. Lando Norris claimed the victory ahead of the 2024 race winner, Charles Leclerc. Championship leader, Oscar Piastri, wrapped up the top three.

At the end of eight races and two Sprints, Carlos Sainz is in P12 in the Drivers' championship with 12 points, 30 points behind his teammate, Alex Albon, who is in P8. Williams is in P5 in the Constructors' championship with 54 points.

About the author

Sabyasachi Biswas is a passionate motorsport journalist for Sportskeeda, with a Master's degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. He has over eight years of experience in the field and has over 10000 published articles on the internet.

As a dedicated follower of motorsport, Sabyasachi watches events closely, ensuring his reports are thorough and supported by reputable sources. He is inspired by Max Verstappen’s fearless attitude and dreams of attending the Indian GP if it returns to the calendar. An ardent F1 fan over the years, he enjoyed watching Felipe Massa and Sebastian Vettel and is now following Verstappen's dominant journey on the track.

Apart from F1, he is a big-time NASCAR and football (also soccer) fan. Sabyasachi supports Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports and Spanish club, Real Madrid.

He was a sub-junior level footballer and won inter-district quizzes and debate competitions back in school. A travel freak by nature, Sabyasachi likes to try different cuisines and learn about new cultures. When away from his keyboard, he enjoys soccer, geopolitics, and playing with Khushi & Ubbu - his adorable beagles.

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Edited by Hitesh Nigam