Alex Palou, on brink of another IndyCar crown, inching closer to GOAT status

Alex Palou has four of five titles since 2021 and has a chance to make it five of six this weekend, with three races remaining on the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series calendar.

He almost accomplished the feat this past weekend, before disaster struck for the polesitter in the inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C. It began with single-lap dominance in our nation's capital and ended in pit lane issues and an uncharacteristic on-track incident. The 20th-place finish delivered a small blow to what has otherwise been another untouchable championship run.

So untouchable, that the Mount Rushmore of IndyCar legends might need to be revisited sometime soon. Maybe even after this weekend in Milwaukee, if Palou bounces back in the Milwaukee Mile doubleheader to clinch the 2026 championship.

IndyCar 'GOAT'?

The greatest of all time debate, of course, is up for interpretation. Typically, the greatest IndyCar drivers are defined not only by wins and championships, but also by Indy 500 glory as well as versatility, longevity, and influence on the sport.

The current four, for most, are Mario Andretti, AJ Foyt, Scott Dixon, and Al Unser – in no particular order – with fellow legends Rick Mears and others like Michael Andretti making a strong case for the top four.

Mario Andretti won four championships and 52 races, and he earned 67 pole positions and 141 podiums over the course of his IndyCar career. Foyt won seven IndyCar championships, the all-time record to go along with his record-tying four Indy 500 victories (Mario has one) and record 67 overall wins.

Foyt was the first to ever win the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing” four times, becoming the first and likely last driver to accomplish the feat in both front- and rear-engined cars.

Unser too won the Indy 500 four different times. That group is headlined by a short list of stars, including Unser, Foyt, Mears, and Helio Castroneves.

Palou’s teammate, Dixon, is a six-time league champion and has collected 58 career wins. That figure is the most of any active driver and the second-most of all-time. He also has one Indy 500 win under his belt.

In addition to the four Indy 500 wins for Mears, he was also able to grab six Indy 500 poles and was a front row starter in 11 of his 15 Indy 500 races from 1978 to 1992.  

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Palou doesn’t have four Indy 500 wins. And he’d still be two titles shy of Foyt’s record, if and when he clinches No. 5 this season.

But keep in mind, that’s yet. A.J. was 44 in 1979 when he won his record seventh, winning his sixth a year prior to that. Foyt would continue racing in IndyCar through the early 1990s, especially the Indy 500. In other words, Palou is well ahead of Foyt on the trajectory of that success to this point.

There’s still plenty of time for him to win the championships necessary to perhaps tie and break Foyt’s record. And if there’s anyone on the current circuit who could challenge for four Indy 500 wins or more by the time his career was over, based on age and recent dominance, it would be Palou, who got the monkey off his back last year at age 28.  

You can make the case that Palou is better now than he has ever been – D.C. notwithstanding. He has won on all circuits – street, road, and oval – and in 10 states so far in his IndyCar career, with 51 podium finishes to become the youngest four-time champion in the sport’s history.

Palou has 14 victories in 32 starts since the start of 2025. Last season, I even went so far as to debate that his dominance might be hurting IndyCar. Palou is the favorite week in, week out and often delivers.

The Fox Sports broadcast team debated his “GOAT” status over the weekend, with fellow legends of the series saying that Palou is making a strong case, despite what should be a lengthy career ahead to continue to rack up more achievements and accolades.

Danica Patrick, who ran 116 races over eight years in the series, says it’s “always hard to debate eras", but acknowledged how “competitive the current field is". Castroneves said Palou, if not already, is “for sure on his way” to GOAT, while Townsend Bell, who made 10 Indy 500 starts in his career, believes Palou “is the best of this decade.”

Lead commentator Will Buxton added of Palou: “He's breathing rarified air. We are living through special times.”

The question is: is it special enough to put Palou in the top four or five IndyCar drivers of all-time? Or even more so, is the top spot his already, especially when he wins No. 5 at the young age of 29?

FoxSports.com ranked Palou the 10th best IndyCar driver of all-time at the start of the season, with the aforementioned six above him, followed by Al Unser, Jr., Will Power, and Dario Franchitti, respectively.

Top 10 lists, Indy's Mount Rushmore, or GOAT debates aside, one thing is certain: Palou’s legacy among the giants of the series is solidified.

It might just be time to update those rankings.

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