Kyle Kirkwood expects 'fortunate' Alex Palou's form to "taper off" soon

Chip Ganassi Racing star Alex Palou currently leads the IndyCar drivers' championship and hasn't finished lower than P2 this season. Andretti Global star Kyle Kirkwood is the only other race winner this season. He has come out ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix and shared his thoughts on his CGR rival's form.

Palou currently sits on 196 points and is leading the IndyCar championship. The Spaniard has won three races out of the first four races, and finished P2 at the one he didn't win (Long Beach).

Kirkwood was questioned whether being the only other driver other than Palou gives him an edge in the championship. The Long Beach winner denied that, suggesting that Palou has always had great starts to the season and that beating him in just one race doesn't prove anything.

“I'm part of a club of the only driver that's beaten him. But that's also just a product of he's really, really hard to beat, right. And that doesn't change for me because I beat him in one race,” said Kyle Kirkwood. (1:08 onwards)

The Andretti Global star then pointed out how the 2025 season is just like the other seasons, where Alex Palou has had great pace, but this time around, CGR was able to keep it clean and not make any mistakes, leading to the three wins.

“I'd say it's typical for Palou to have really good start for the year and then it kind of tapers off from there, especially when we get to the ovals and whatnot. So. It's just this year it's been so clean. Last year he was just as strong, except this year they executed perfectly and came away with three wins and a P2. They've been in a very fortunate position at this time, but I think as the year progresses, that'll start to change,” added Kirkwood.

Alex Palou has been racing in IndyCar for over five years and has won three championships already. However, the Spaniard is yet to win a race around an oval, and most oval races are scheduled in the second half of the season, adding weight to Kirkwood's comments that Palou's form might taper off.

“Just do the best you can”: Scott McLaughlin on challenging Alex Palou for the IndyCar championship

Scott McLaughlin, who won the previous two IndyCar races at Barber, came into the 2025 race to accomplish a three-peat. However, the Team Penske driver had no answer to Alex Palou’s pace, as the Spaniard took the pole and won the race by over 16 seconds.

McLaughlin, who finished P3, was questioned about Palou's form and what it would take to challenge the CGR driver in the championship. The Kiwi driver replied (via FOX Sports broadcast):

“I think when the guy's (Palou) on top of this game, you just do the best you can. In that regard. I feel like week in, week out, we can challenge him, but if he keeps executing all we can do is execute as well.”

Christian Lundgaard is the closest rival to Palou in the IndyCar championship and is already 60 points adrift after just four races.