Alex Palou honestly compares his fame to Fernando Alonso in Spain

Three-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou was questioned ahead of the 2025 Sonsio Grand Prix on whether he feels he is more popular than two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso in their native country, Spain. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver shared his honest thoughts on the matter.

Palou began his career the same way as Alonso by racing in the junior Formula categories before rising up the ladder. However, while Alonso got an F1 drive at just 19 years old, Palou decided to make the move to race in IndyCar.

F1 Grand Prix of Brazil - Source: Getty

F1 is miles ahead in terms of global popularity when compared with IndyCar, especially in Europe. Alex Palou was asked about the media coverage in Spain, and whether he felt he was more popular than Fernando Alonso.

The reporter detailed how Palou has had the majority of his top-tier success in the American open-wheel racing series and questioned how it impacted the media situation in Spain, and the popularity situation back at home in comparison to Alonso.

“I don't think I'm getting much more media time in Spain. I think they have the people that they've been following from the beginning, and maybe it's growing a little bit, but I wouldn't say they're taking much attention to it, except for the media that we always have, like your best friend Enrique,” replied Alex Palou.

“Yeah, let's say the normal media, I don't think they're following too much, which that's fine. I don't care. I race in the U.S. for a U.S. Team and for U.S. sponsors,” he added

Alex Palou himself made multiple attempts to join an F1 team, but put his F1 dreams to bed following his complicated contract situation with Arrow McLaren.

“Didn't help my career”: Alex Palou on his attempts to get into F1

Alex Palou signed a contract with Arrow McLaren in 2022 to join the team in 2023. However, due to clauses in Palou's CGR contract, it was later decided that the Spaniard would join the team for the 2024 season.

However, by then, McLaren had already signed Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on long-term contracts, and the F1 reserve driver role that came with the McLaren IndyCar seat didn't make sense.

INDYCAR Open Testing - Indianapolis - Source: Getty

Hence, Palou decided not to fulfil the McLaren contract and stayed with CGR, which led to a lawsuit. The Spaniard came out after the 2024 IndyCar season and detailed his chances of moving to F1.

“It's not a secret that I did a lot of stuff to try to get into F1 in the past that didn't help in my career in IndyCar, and that created a lot of drama around my name and my team. I tried that. It didn't work, learned a lot from that on track and off track,” said Palou in September 2024 (via The Race).

“I'm happy here. I'm not knocking on doors. I know also, I'm 27, I'm not 17, where maybe there could be a chance in the near future. I'm not sad about it,” he added.

Palou won the IndyCar championship with CGR in 2024 and is on a trajectory to repeat the same in 2025.