Carlos Sainz gives frank verdict on Alex Palou getting an F1 seat after legendary Indy 500 win

Carlos Sainz has shared his opinion about reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou getting an F1 seat. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver won the 109th Indy 500 last Sunday to further cement his IndyCar dominance with a fifth win in six races this season.

It was Palou's first oval win, and what better way to earn it than at the Greatest Spectacle of Racing on the grandest oval of them all, the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Spaniard sealed the win with 15 laps to go, after he overtook 2022 Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson for the race lead.

Ericsson, a former F1 driver, couldn't retake the top spot despite having more fuel and newer tires. Alex Palou's legendary win came at a time when his name is rumored to be in consideration for a Cadillac F1 seat for 2026.

Carlos Sainz opines that his Spanish compatriot should get a shot at F1, having won the world's biggest race. At the Thursday press conference before F1's Spanish GP, Sainz said (via RACER):

"I think someone that is capable of winning in Indy, winning the Indy 500, at least he should be given the chance to show what he can do in Formula 1 at some point. And if he's quick enough in Formula 1, then he should be welcome in Formula 1."

The Williams F1 driver elaborated on his decades-old relationship with Palou, having been teammates during their karting years.

"I think he got to test the McLaren car a few times. I always rated Alex very highly because I was his teammate in cadet karting, and he was very quick! But honestly speaking, what he's doing in America is something really admirable. I think to dominate [IndyCar] the way he's dominating, you have to be very good."

Alex Palou's stint with McLaren was smooth when he served as its F1 reserve driver in 2023. The Spaniard reportedly had an agreement to join its IndyCar team, Arrow McLaren, in 2024, but he renewed his contract with Chip Ganassi Racing. Things turned sour as McLaren filed a lawsuit against him, which is still ongoing in the UK Commercial Court.

Carlos Sainz didn't have the same luxury in F1, as Ferrari replaced him with Lewis Hamilton from this season. However, his stint with a once-backmarker Williams has been surprisingly rewarding so far, with a best finish of P8 at Saudi Arabia and Imola.

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Alex Palou claims F1 no longer seems a 'fun' career path to pursue

Indy 500 Winner Alex Palou Visits The Empire State Building - Source: Getty

Having grown up in Europe, racing in F1 was Alex Palou's first dream. But when he found no opportunities at the pinnacle of motorsport, he shifted focus to IndyCar in 2020. And the rest is history.

Three IndyCar championships and one Indy 500 win later, Palou is no longer interested in pursuing his F1 dream.

"(F1) is not calling me anymore," he said via FOX after winning the Indy 500. "I still follow it. It’s a huge series. It’s amazing. I’m a big fan, but I don’t think they’re having as much fun as I’m having here. I don’t see people celebrating with their wives and their kids as much as we do."

"I don’t see them hanging in the bus lot or having dinner with their mechanics. I only enjoy driving and having fun and being with my people, so I think (F1) is the total opposite."

Alex Palou leads the IndyCar championship by a whopping 112 points after six races. IndyCar's next stop is the Detroit Grand Prix from May 30 to June 1, a race he won in 2023.