Three-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou has hinted at a potential venture into NASCAR.
After securing his third championship IndyCar title this year, the Spanish driver has spoken out about his desire to explore opportunities in NASCAR, particularly on road courses, as well as other racing series.
Palou’s adaptability in racing is evident from his recent return to GT3 racing after a five-year gap, driving the Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. Although he faced some initial challenges, his experience was largely positive. The contrast in speeds and handling was significant, as Palou noted to the media:
“It was good. It was different to what I’m used to.
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“The speeds in the corners, they feel different than the IndyCar.
“You cannot go flat in some areas, where in an IndyCar, it’s like, almost straight. But it was good, it felt good. Ran some laps, had some issues – as always on a Thursday – but it was great!”
Palou’s diverse background in motorsport also includes a stint in Japan’s SUPER GT Series. His success in Japan facilitated his entrance into IndyCar, marking the beginning of a championship-winning trajectory with Dale Coyne Racing and later Chip Ganassi Racing. By the age of 27, he had already secured three IndyCar titles.
The technical contrast between car types fascinates Palou. He continued:
“It didn’t affect me too much, honestly, because of the time.
“Obviously, I remembered the ABS, traction control, a little bit of the flow and the movement of the car. But I couldn’t tell you the exact differences. It’s a little more understeering, not so much on the nose.
“I mean, at the end of the day it’s still a steering wheel and two pedals! It still feels really fast because of the amount of weight. It takes so much time to brake. At the end, you’re always on the limit, the same way in an IndyCar, or any car.”
Looking ahead, Palou is eager to broaden his horizons with endurance racing, targeting events like the Bathurst 12 Hour and the Suzuka 1000km.
“The plan is to try and do more endurance races when time allows. I won’t do anything that takes too much time, even though I would love to be racing every single weekend, I cannot allow that to take any time from my IndyCar season. I’ll add more races, as long as they don’t take too much time.
“There’s more, but one that I would love to do next would be Bathurst, but it’s not in the vision for next year.
“The (Bathurst) 1000 would be nice as well, but maybe that will be a next step in more years. I would say the Bathurst 12 Hour would be nice.
“But I would love to drive that if I have the preparation so I can go and compete. I would not like to do it to be 35th – I think it’s not worth it.
“I would like to try other cars, like NASCAR cars. I would love to get in a NASCAR on a road course and just try how it feels. But as well, only with preparation. Only if a good opportunity comes up.”
