Alex Palou cries after taking legendary Indy 500 win - See full race summary

Alex Palou has nothing left to prove in IndyCar. The three-time IndyCar champion conquered the prestigious Indy 500 on Sunday (May 25), a race that meant the world to him. It was a breakthrough win for the Spaniard, who had never won on an oval before.

Palou overtook 2022 Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson with 15 laps to go. Thereon, he sustained the lead, leaving his Andretti Global rival in tears after the race, with his girlfriend and family consoling him. AJ Foyt Racing's David Malukas was the third driver on the podium.

The Indy 500 had been Alex Palou's kryptonite since he began his IndyCar career in 2020. In the buildup to the 109th running, he even declared his career would be incomplete without winning at the IMS, no matter how many races and championships he won.

After tearing up in the car and maniacally celebrating on the front straight with his Chip Ganassi Racing team, he was exhausted, but immortalized in racing's history books. Afterwards, he poured his heart out, saying on the live broadcast:

"I cannot believe it. What an amazing day. What an amazing race. Sorry, I'm out of breath. Just got really tired. The 10-crew, everyone at CGR, HRC, I cannot believe it. It's amazing to be here. It's amazing to win. There were some moments I felt really good, but at the end, I didn't know if I was gonna be able to pass Marcus. But yeah, made it happen. First oval win, what a better place (to do it than this)."

Alex Palou also became the first Spanish driver to win the Indy 500. It was his fifth win in six races this season, and the irony was strong in this win. The man he overtook to win the race was his former teammate, who gave Chip Ganassi Racing its last Indy 500 win in 2022.

Full Indy 500 summary as Alex Palou emerges victorious

The 109th Indy 500 was the most chaotic one this season and by far the most unpredictable Indy 500 in years. It began with a crash even before the race started, as Scott McLaughlin made a rookie error and lost control of his car when warming up the tires on the pace lap. He broke down trackside before heading to the medical center.

The drama had only just begun as Marco Andretti crashed out in Turn 1 of Lap 1 after making contact with Jack Harvey, who continued unscathed. Alexander Rossi was the next victim of the treacherous IMS, as his car caught fire in the pit lane. The 2016 Indy 500 winner was furious and threw his gloves in anger.

The pit lane consumed two more drivers in quick succession. Rinus Veekay had a 360-degree spin after losing his brakes. After he retired with a car damaged beyond repair, pole-sitter Robert Shwartzman drove into his pit crew during a stop. The PREMA rookie not only ended his race, but also injured a crew member, who was taken away on a stretcher.

After another restart, Kyle Larson, on his second attempt at The Double, made a mistake on a downshift, spun out, and took two others with him. He made contact with Marcus Armstrong while Sting Ray Robb, who was behind Larson, spun into the barriers.

Josef Newgarden, who was pursuing an unprecedented three-peat, then suffered an unexpected fuel pump issue. The Penske driver had gone from P32 to P6 before disaster struck.

Home hero Conor Daly, who was aiming to break the 83-year-old Indiana curse at the Greatest Spectacle of Racing, led the race for a considerable share, but lost his right rear, slipping down to P10 by the end.