The battle for the 2025 IndyCar championship reached its decisive point in Portland, and it wasn't on the track where it was decided, but in the pits. Spaniard Alex Palou (Chip Ganassi) secured his fourth title in the category (2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025) on Sunday by finishing third in the Grand Prix, while his only rival, Mexican Pato O'Ward (Arrow McLaren), saw his options disappear after an electronic failure in his car.

O'Ward started from pole position and led for the first few laps, but everything went wrong on lap 21. His car lost power and he had to crawl to the garage. There, the mechanics worked against the clock, but the diagnosis was not favorable: an electronic problem left him eight laps behind the leaders.

From that moment on, the path was clear for Palou, who only needed to maintain a minimal gap in the standings to seal the championship with two races left.

Spanish dominance and Mexican frustration

While O'Ward tried to at least complete the race, Palou climbed positions. He started fifth on the grid after a mistake in qualifying on Saturday, but already on the first corner he overtook the American David Malukas to place fourth. He moved up to second shortly after when O'Ward and Felix Rosenqvist pitted under a caution.

The leader at the time, Will Power (Team Penske), was running on used tires, allowing Lundgaard and Palou to close the gap. The Catalan driver fought until the end for the victory that would have been his ninth of the year, but was unable to overtake the Dane and crossed the finish line in third place, with the consolation - and merit - of securing his third consecutive crown.

Palou thus joins a select group: only AJ Foyt (7 titles), Scott Dixon (6) and legends such as Mario Andretti, Sebastien Bourdais and Dario Franchitti (4 each) equal or surpass his record. With eight victories this season, including the historic Indianapolis 500, the Spanish driver consolidates his dominance.