Pato O'Ward: Alex Palou needs to take "3-week vacation" or 'go to jail' to lose 2025 IndyCar title

Pato O'Ward has highlighted just how out of reach the 2025 IndyCar championship has become for Alex Palou's rivals. The Arrow McLaren driver, who is second in the standings, described how ridiculous the points math has become for him to have a shot at the title with five races to go in the season.

Palou has won seven of 12 races this season, becoming the first driver to achieve such a start since Al Unser Jr. did the same in 1994. His lead over O'Ward in the championship is a mammoth 129 points. At the recently concluded Iowa double-header, O'Ward won his first race of the season in Race 1. Despite that, the points gap only widened after Palou struck back with victory in Race 2.

Pato O'Ward appeared on fellow driver Conor Daly's podcast Speed Street. He spoke about the championship battle, saying:

"The reality of the championship is that we need Alex Palou to go on a three-week vacation."

Daly chipped in with a more aggressive solution, saying:

"We need him to go to jail. Like, literally go to jail."

"Literally," O'Ward replied, seconding the hilarious suggestion. "I have to win those races that he's not present at to make it a fight going into Milwaukee and Nashville. It's not impossible. Freakier things have happened. It's racing. You never know what to expect.

The guy is winning, still winning. Doesn't matter how good a weekend you have when he's winning. It just defeats the whole formula."

Pato O'Ward can only win the 2025 IndyCar title if he wins consecutive races and Alex Palou's luck somehow goes in the dumps, with back-to-back DNFs or worse.

Pato O'Ward credits Arrow McLaren squad after overcoming Josef Newgarden's threat to take first Chevy win of 2025

Pato O'Ward celebrates after winning the IndyCar Race 1 at Iowa Speedway - Source: Getty

Pato O'Ward's victory at Race 1 of IndyCar's 2025 Iowa double-header came as a result of his No. 5 squad's quick work in the pits. He got ahead of race leader Josef Newgarden during their final pit stops and defended fiercely in the closing stages of the race to take his and Arrow McLaren's first win of the season.

O'Ward's victory also gave Chevrolet its first race win of 2025. After bringing his No. 5 Chevy to victory lane, the Mexican driver thanked his team and shared his emotions.

"Great job by all my McLaren boys and gals and the Chevy-powered machine. I think it's 1-2-3, right, Chevy podium? It's about time. I'm super happy I'm the Chevy guy that gave them their first win this year, and I mean, Josef's the master at these races; he rules around here, so I knew that we had to be so precise to beat him at his own game. So yeah, this is awesome," he said on the FOX broadcast.

O'Ward will have an edge at the upcoming race weekend at Toronto from July 18 to 20. Palou will be at a slight disadvantage because Chip Ganassi Racing hasn't had the fastest cars on street circuits this year.