"She didn't live to see it": Alex Palou's mechanic recalls emotional conversation with late mother before surreal Indy 500 win

Four-time IndyCar star Alex Palou had not won a single race around an oval before the 2025 season. The Spaniard won his first-ever oval race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway by winning the Indy 500. Palou's chief mechanic came out and revealed the emotional conversation with his late mother.

Alex Palou began the 2025 IndyCar season in utmost domination, winning four out of the first five races. While the Chip Ganassi Racing driver’s form raised the expectations around the Indy 500, Team Penske still arguably had the fastest car around the Speedway. Unfortunately, Scott McLaughlin crashed out of the race, while Josef Newgarden and Will Power were sent to the back of the grid for the attenuator scandal.

Alex Palou started the race in P6 and remained with the lead pack for the entirety of the race before making a crucial move on Marcus Ericsson in the final laps to win the race. Palou became the first-ever Spaniard to win the Indianapolis 500.

The chief mechanic of the #10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Ricky Davis, last won an Indy 500 in 2008 with Scott Dixon behind the wheel. The 2025 win put an end to the 17-year drought of Davis not winning the Indy 500. Ricky Davis featured on IndyCar's YouTube channel along with Alex Palou and CGR Team Principal Barry Wanser.

David recalled the emotional conversation with her mother, her late mother, before the 2025 Indy 500 triumph, as he said,

“First time in 35 years. We talked every Monday after the race. It was the first time this off season she said ‘ you're going to win’. All the years before it was, ‘Do you think you're going to win. How do you think you're going to do it?’ She told me this year you're going to win and that's why it was so emotional because me because she didn't live to see it. And I literally lost it, and lost it again when I saw Alex on the front straight.” (16:30 onwards)

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Fernando Alonso hails Alex Palou after the 2025 Indy 500 triumph

Two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso raced in a couple of Indy 500s in the late 2010s and was running strong with the lead pack when a mechanical issue ended his chances at a win. The F1 star came out after Alex Palou's Indy 500 win and hailed the Spaniard, as he said,

“Great for Spain first of all, great for him. To have the Indy 500 now after winning the series in IndyCar for a few consecutive seasons, and now leading the championship as well. So he’s doing great there,”

“I know most of the drivers would dream about a Formula 1 seat and having a career here, but he had the opportunity in IndyCar and he maximized every single day there,” added Alonso

Alex Palou won the 2025 title at Portland with a couple of races left in the season as his championship rival Pato O'Ward faced a sensor error at the race.