3 IndyCar drivers who can beat Alex Palou in Detroit 

Alex Palou has been the in-form driver this season, and a lot has to do with the fact that the driver has been right at the sharp edge all the time. With just one loss all season to Kyle Kirkwood, Palou is putting together a kind of season that we don't often see in IndyCar.

To tick another box off the checklist, he has also won the iconic Indy 500 race. With that being said, the IndyCar grid is filled with talent that can stand out on its own.

Other than the Spaniard, there are quite a few drivers now that are snapping at the heels to get one over the reigning champion. As we get ready for the race weekend in Detroit, who are the top 3 drivers that could potentially beat Palou this weekend? Let's take a look.

Contenders that could beat Alex Palou in Detroit

#3: Josef Newgarden

Josef Newgarden would be coming into the IndyCar race weekend seething with what happened at the Indy 500. The two-time winner of the iconic race continued to face one obstacle after another, and even though he kept his head in place and never lost his cool, there's only so much you can do when your car just calls it a day.

The start of the season has not been a great one for Newgarden. This was a year where he expected to put together a revamped challenge for Alex Palou, who has surpassed him in terms of world championships.

Newgarden is a dismal P13 in the championship right now, and one way that the driver can make his way back up the standings and get closer to Alex Palou is by picking up maximum points by winning the race in Detroit. The 2x IndyCar winner is one of the top 3 drivers who could potentially beat Palou and close the gap between them.

#2 Christian Lundgaard

After the Indy 500, it's safe to say that Christian Lundgaard would be the first to admit that the ovals have not necessarily been his friend all this time. The McLaren driver just doesn't do as well around them, and it has been a common theme throughout his IndyCar career. For a moment, though, if we keep that to one side, it's safe to say that the new signing at the marquee team has been a revelation.

As soon as he has stepped in, he's had the pace to compete and beat Pato O'Ward regularly. Lundgaard has been growing from strength to strength, and while Alex Palou is someone who has won almost every race, Lundgaard has been a regular podium finisher.

Detroit is not an oval for the Danish driver, fortunately, and with Alex Palou not having the best start to the weekend, this might be the one where Christian Lundgaard picks up his first win with McLaren.

#1 Scott McLaughlin

Scott McLaughlin is arguably the favorite to win the race in Detroit this weekend and become just the third driver, after Alex Palou and Kyle Kirkwood, to win a race this season. Scott's 2025 season has been poor by his standards, especially since he was expecting a fight for the title this time around.

Until now, the race wins have eluded him, and so has a proper title battle. The crash at the start of the Indy 500 was just as cruel. The now-American driver has shown a strong pace in practice as well this time around and will be hoping to get one back and win Detroit.

We're backing Scott McLaughlin to be the second driver after Kyle Kirkwood to beat Alex Palou in a race this season.