Winning the Indy 500 with Álex Palou: Encore Ep 48
Highlights from the episode:
The emotional moments after the cameras stopped rolling
The hidden cost of chasing a career in motorsports
How routines and discipline help Álex stay grounded
Why the people beside you matter as much as the trophy
What it really takes to sustain excellence at the highest level
Podcast show notes:
I’m really excited about this year’s Indy 500 coming up, and seeing Álex Palou secure the pole position reminded me of our great conversation right after he won last year. I wanted to share that interview with you all ahead of this year’s race.
After Álex Palou won the Indy 500 in 2025, I watched through the glass that separates the broadcast booth with victory circle, as Álex and his racecar were lifted up to the celebratory stage where professional photographers snapped countless rounds of images of Álex and his team celebrating the moment that no doubt changed their life.
I loved watching his wife Esther hand over their daughter Lucia to celebrate with her dad and I found myself wondering what he would do next – after this portion of pomp and circumstance was over. What would his reaction be behind closed doors? I knew he’d be exhausted, rolling in on a couple hours of sleep if he was lucky, but I was so grateful to sit down with Álex the next morning; hours after winning the Indy 500, I expected adrenaline and exhaustion. What I didn’t expect was how much heart he’d bring into that conversation and what his answer to the “thing no one tells you” highlighted about his family commitment.
This episode is about more than speed. It’s about the quiet sacrifices. The money burned on tires and fuel, the long days chasing a dream across continents, and the people who made it possible.
From the stands inside Indianapolis Motor Speedway packed with Spanish flags to the emotional moment his father ran toward him on the track after his win, Álex opens up about the power of team, tradition, and staying level in the moments that matter most.
What You’ll Hear:
The emotional celebration that started with a run down the track (5:49)
Why winning the Indy 500 changes everything, even for a three-time champion (7:04)
Álex’s family's sacrifice and what it really took to get here (10:51)
The surprising habits that keep Álex sharp (14:39)
Álex gives us a rare glimpse into the life of a champion, and the grounded perspective that might just keep him winning. He reminds us that greatness doesn’t just happen on the track. It’s built over years of figuring out how to show up day after day, amid failures and setbacks, even when no one is watching.
This one is for anyone who wants to know more about the moments that don’t make the highlight reel; check out Álex’s inspiring story.
Connect with ÁLEX:
Check out more from Álex on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexpalou/
Be sure to subscribe to Things No One Tells You—Lindsay’s podcast all about the real, unfiltered conversations we don’t always have but should. From big names to everyday voices, each episode dives into the moments that shape us. Listen wherever you get your podcasts!
Follow along with Lindsay below!
Full Transcript
[00:00:00] Alex: I would say my career has been all over. Like, I started in Europe, then I went to Japan, then here in the US. I would probably say how hard it is sometimes. Like, now everybody sees that it's been awesome in this season and the past two or three seasons. But, as a driver, as an athlete, you go through many more tough times than good times.
[00:00:22] So, I think a lot of people just see how we celebrate and how- How emotional it is ... yes, how good times we have. But, I would say we have a lot of tough times. So that's why we get super emotional, and we celebrate so much. We lose our voices. And it's only because of one, one day, one win.
[00:00:44] Lindsay: Hey, everybody. Welcome to this episode of Things No One Tells You. Do you remember these days when things were just, ah. I'm kidding. Oh, how far we've come. Welcome to TNOTY, this episode of Things No One Tells You. So I am so excited because it is Indy 500 week, and you guys, if I were gonna summarize it, I would say this is the thing no one tells you about greatness.
[00:01:16] And here's why. Actually, this is one that we're pulling from our TNOTY vault, and it just made sense because going into this week's Indy 500, this time last year, we ran an episode with the winner. The morning after the race, I sat down with Alex Palou, a Spanish IndyCar driver, who is just an amazing person.
[00:01:39] He's an amazing driver. But what happened after that race, after he won the Indy 500, which was an absolute dream come true for him, Alex went on to have this continuously dominant season. He won the championship. So Alex is now a four-time IndyCar driver, and the reason that I'm so excited to share this episode again is that it was the morning after he won the biggest race of his career.
[00:02:07] And he talks in this episode about why it's life-changing, about the thing no one tells you about his journey, and what it takes to get to the top. But you guys, what's wild is this season he has already won three races, and in fact has just claimed the pole position for this year's Indy 500. So that means he will be starting from the very first spot, and it's incredible to watch someone's dominance like that.
[00:02:41] And in fact, at the beginning of this IndyCar season, I had a chance to sit down with all the drivers because I was doing the content days where you get some interviews with each driver ahead of the season. It was so cool because I was able to hear- kind of the mindset of each one of these athletes coming in, and what they were thinking, how they had put the past season behind them,m and they were moving forward.
[00:03:04] And we asked every one of them, because of how dominant Alex Palou has been, "What's one word you would use to describe Alex?" And it was so funny, because it ran the gamut from, like, determined, like, you know, precise, annoying. Like, just because he wins so much. Really, what we're watching in this sport is someone who is not only super sound and strong as a driver, but the team of Chip Ganassi Racing has it all going on.
[00:03:33] but yet there is this innate it factor when it comes to sports and being a champion, and Alex absolutely has it. And in racing, I think, this conversation was where he really kind of explained how that looks for him. So if you're enjoying Things No One Tells You, please don't forget to leave a review, you know, share an episode with a friend.
[00:03:56] But as you listen to this conversation of Alex Palou, I hope that maybe it stays with you as you're watching one of the IndyCar races moving forward. But I think there's so much value in hearing what a superstar athlete really thinks and what goes on inside their mind. So here is my conversation the morning after Alex Palou won the Indy 500.
[00:04:19] All right. So Alex, have you slept?
[00:04:23] Alex: A little bit. Not much. Okay. But I got, like, four or five hours, yes. I love it.
[00:04:28] Lindsay: I was watching... One of my favorite things to do is, you know, because everybody talks about how the Indy 500 is such a life-changing moment if you win it, and I like, I love that concept so much, but I always find that something that, like, makes me get goosebumps is watching the winner right after they've won the race.
[00:04:45] And when I was watching you get out, get on top of your car, you know, and throw your hands in the air, and then you ran down the racetrack, and I was like, what was... I just instantly wanna know, like, what were you feeling in that moment?
[00:04:59] Alex: It was one of the best moments of my entire life. Like, the feeling I had that moment, the happiness, like, I crossed the start finish line, a nd I was screaming all those, like-
[00:05:11] 2.5 miles and saying hello to the fans. But when I stopped the car, and I heard the fans for the first time, it was just awesome. And then I saw my team running towards me. Yeah. So
[00:05:23] Lindsay: That's the moment that made me cry. Yeah. I'm like, "What's my problem?" right?
[00:05:26] Alex: It was, yeah, it was just so fun. It was amazing.
[00:05:29] I mean, it means so much. Like, I think that's why this race is so important. It's the fans, it's the traditions, but it's what it means for the people that work on those cars, that spend so many hours- and that, my mechanics, my engineers spend so much time on. So, yeah, it was just happiness.
[00:05:48] Lindsay: Yeah, 'cause, like, the team component.
[00:05:49] Yeah. 'Cause I know everyone sees the face of the driver, but you have said to yourself just how big a deal it is, so many people that makes what you do easier. So when you were in that moment getting out of the car and running towards your team, what was going through your mind? Like, what does that feel like?
[00:06:05] Alex: So I thought I was, like, a lot closer to them. That's why I started running. You ran really far. Yeah. I ran really far. But in my mind, it's... Honestly, I just wanted to scream and be with them. Like, I was just wanting to celebrate. Obviously, there's that relief feeling of, like, we did it. Like, it's.
[00:06:25] You never know if you're gonna win the 500 or not. We've been close. I didn't have many attempts yet, like, this was my sixth attempt. But still, like, you only get one chance a year.
[00:06:37] Lindsay: And you had never won on an oval, by the way, , which makes it even more difficult.
[00:06:41] Alex: Correct. Yes, absolutely. Makes it, like, more pressure.
[00:06:43] Like, yeah, you've never won on an oval, you've never won a 500, obviously. So yeah, I was just happy, and I just wanted to celebrate with somebody. And all of my team was running towards me.
[00:06:56] Lindsay: It was such a cool reaction. For people who listen or are watching that have never followed IndyCar, why is this race such a big deal?
[00:07:04] Like, why is this I mean, you've, you're a three-time champion. You swept through the season starting, you w- you've won five of the first six. Like, what... But this, you always said it wasn't complete without this. Like, so why is one race such a big deal? I mean, people get the Super Bowl, they get all that. Why is the Indy 500 equal to that?
[00:07:23] Alex: I don't think there's one thing. I think there's a mix of a lot of things that make this event so special. The first one is the fans. Like, having more than 350,000 people in the stands, it's huge. Like, the atmosphere, the energy, and you feel like you're in the center of the world. And then how difficult it is to win.
[00:07:43] Like, it's an endurance race, 500 miles, 200 laps. Like, everything needs to be perfect that day for you to win. Your team, your car, yourself a little bit of luck here and there. So to have all that in one day just feels amazing.
[00:08:00] Lindsay: When you were at the point, you had 14 laps to go during the race, and you made the move on Marcus Ericsson, and I know you said that you felt like you thought it was too early.
[00:08:10] But, like, when you see an opportunity, what is that like for someone who will never drive a race car, you know, to be in that moment?
[00:08:18] Alex: So I was second at that moment behind Marcus. Yeah. But we had some traffic cars in front of us. I knew that it was gonna get tougher towards the end to get an opportunity, so I wanted to lead, and then I wanted to see if I could stay in the lead or if I had to fight a lot.
[00:08:38] So yeah, that was, I saw a gap. It was a small gap, but I went for it. I knew that Marcus was not gonna be overly aggressive because it was still, like, 14 laps to go. So it was my last chance, in my opinion, because my tires were a little bit worse than Marcus's, so I knew that it was just gonna get tougher from there.
[00:09:00] Lindsay: I loved how you talked about that practice lap around, you could see, or you realized how many fans were here from Spain.
[00:09:08] Alex: Yeah.
[00:09:09] Lindsay: What do you remember of that, and what is even, what are you even thinking about when you're running the practice lap before the big race?
[00:09:15] Alex: So we're doing the parade laps before the three parade laps. Sorry, yeah. I kept saying practice.
[00:09:19] Lindsay: Yeah. Parade laps, yeah.
[00:09:20] Alex: At that moment, you're saluting the fans and you're watching the stands for the first time full and I was surprised at how many Spanish flags there were. Really? Yeah. And it was, like, different spots, so it was not only one group.
[00:09:36] So yeah, it was the first time that I've seen that. It just feels amazing to have more fans,
[00:09:41] Lindsay: I mean And they were all there after you won. I mean, they had your face on big cardboard cutouts. There were so many- Yeah ... fans. So, what is something in your mind that no one tells you about what your journey has been like for you?
[00:09:55] Like, what have you realized along the way coming from Spain? I know you've lived in several other countries too, but what would you say it is?
[00:10:02] Alex: It's tough to say, but I would say my career has been all over. Like, I started in Europe, then I went to Japan, then here in the US. I would probably say how hard it is sometimes.
[00:10:15] Like now everybody sees that it's been awesome and this season and the past two or three seasons. But, as a driver, as an athlete, you go through many more tough times than good times. So, I think a lot of people just see how we celebrate and how.
[00:10:33] Lindsay: How emotional it is.
[00:10:34] Alex: How good times we have.
[00:10:35] But, I would say we have a lot of tough times. So that's why we get super emotional, and we celebrate so much. We lose our voices. And it's only because of one, one day, one win.
[00:10:48] Lindsay: What is the toughest thing that you've overcome?
[00:10:51] Alex: I would say probably when I was a kid, I would say it was tougher than nowadays.
[00:10:56] Since I've been professional, it's been tough at times, but you're already living your dream. You're getting paid to drive fast cars and to race- Yeah ... against your competition. But when I was a kid, and we didn't really have money to go to do a full season, and we had to go, race by race, that was the toughest, and seeing my parents not being able to give me everything that I needed as a- Yeah.
[00:11:26] as a race car driver. As a kid, that was, I had everything. But I mean- Sure ... as a race car driver. I knew it was tough on them. But, yeah, nowadays it's easy. Like me, even though I've been on one-year contracts.
[00:11:43] It’s still a one-year contract. Like, it's, it's super fun. So I would say, yeah, when I was a kid.
[00:11:48] Lindsay: And what made that the toughest thing, seeing your parents not being able to? Is it just knowing that they want to be able to give you that, or?
[00:11:56] Alex: Yeah, like seeing, I don't know, my parents working, all day just to, for me to burn the money on tires and fuel. Like, you're literally burning, and then my dad used to be my mechanic, in a go-kart.
[00:12:12] So seeing him, like, in a normal job and then working as a mechanic. So, yeah, looking back now, obviously, I realize that was the toughest. When you're a kid, you realize a little bit, but probably not the full, you don't really- Yeah ... get the full picture.
[00:12:28] Lindsay: So now bringing it full circle, when you win this race, you had a lot of family- Oh, yeah
[00:12:32] that came over to be here. What was the most special moment of being able to celebrate with them?
[00:12:37] Alex: Oh, it was amazing. Like, I was still at the track, and I saw my dad, my mom, my sister, my wife, my daughter, but I also had, like, grandparents, uncles.
[00:12:46] Lindsay: Oh my gosh, yeah. Yeah.
[00:12:47] Alex: So just seeing them there and they were so happy and celebrating was awesome.
[00:12:52] Lindsay: And your daughter kissing the ring vaguely was such a highlight for people watching. What was your dad's reaction or your parents' reaction when you-
[00:12:58] Alex: Oh, my dad was actually the second person who was running towards me. He was running quite fast. But, yeah. Like, honestly, the reaction is just to scream and say, "Let's go."
[00:13:10] "We did it," yeah. Yeah. Like, there's no, yeah, there's no conversation. It's just like, "Let's go," and just big hugs, obviously. And, he was crying. Oh ... I had some tears. But, yeah, it's just how emotional it is.
[00:13:24] Lindsay: And I know your wife, Esther, has been a big part of it for you, too. When you think about it, maybe things that you would tell other kids out there that might be in your shoes, no matter what the circumstance is, if they have a dream, what would your advice be to them now that you've lived a big portion of it and you're basically winning everything you can?
[00:13:44] Alex: Oh, it's a tough question. I would say just to keep on working. Like, as a kid, I would see these drivers winning or having these amazing positions in racing teams, and I wanted to be there, and I thought it was impossible. But when you take it day by day,y and you try and do your best-
[00:14:07 Every day, you try and get all the chances that you have, you might not get lucky, but at least you gave everything that you had. And I think that's probably good enough. Youu need a little bit of luck here and there. Yeah. I had all the luck that I needed to be here today, but I think without the luck, if I had worked as I worked, and didn't have an amazing outcome, I would still have been really proud of my journey.
[00:14:39] Lindsay: What are three things no one knows about you?
[00:14:41] Alex: About me? I don't know. There's a lot of stuff that they don't know, but I think people don't realize how much I love this sport. Really? Yeah. Why
[00:14:54] Lindsay: Do you think they don't realize that?
[00:14:55] Alex: They think I'm just a driver who doesn't enjoy as much as I do.
[00:15:02] Like, there are a lot of people that, I don't know, you see it in fans, but then when they get to know you, they are like, "Oh my God, like you're, you love this sport a lot." And- Yeah ... I love spending time with my mechanics, my team, the fans as well. Like, for me, it's a dream every day that I show up to a racetrack.
[00:15:21] So, I think there are a lot of people who don't know how much I love this sport.
[00:15:25] Lindsay: That's an interesting thing to say, though, that you think the fans didn't always know how devoted you were.
[00:15:30] Alex: Yeah. Right? I think they're starting to learn. Well, I but, yeah, I don't think that they used to know. And then I love reading.
[00:15:40] Okay. Probably they don't know that.
[00:15:41] Lindsay: And- what types of things do you read, and do you have any suggestions?
[00:15:45] Alex: Just biographies from people, yeah.
[00:15:48] Lindsay: Have you achieved?
[00:15:49] Alex: Yeah. Okay. Some stuff, some good stuff, just to learn-
[00:15:53] Lindsay: Yeah ...
[00:15:53] Alex: What they went through.
[00:15:54] Lindsay: The last one that you read, what?
[00:15:56] Alex: The last one I would say was Shoe Dog.
[00:16:01] Yeah, it was pretty cool to learn the story at the beginning of the company as well- Okay ... what they went through. But yeah, I just read all the stuff. And then the last one, I don't know.
[00:16:15] Lindsay: You don't have one?
[00:16:16] Alex: I don't know. no. I have one for you. Yeah, go ahead.
[00:16:18] Lindsay: I was actually told to ask you about your organizational skills.
[00:16:21] Alex: Okay.
[00:16:22] Lindsay: And that you possibly clean your shoes with your toothbrush. Is that true?
[00:16:27] Alex: Not with a toothbrush, but yes, I clean them.
[00:16:28] Lindsay: Okay, sorry. My source, Alex from IndyCar, threw that out.
[00:16:32] Alex: Yes, that's some stuff they don't know. I hate it when my shoes are not clean.
[00:16:38] Lindsay: Really?
[00:16:39] Alex: Yeah. And I like organizing stuff.
[00:16:42] Lindsay: Like, clean, freak type of organizing?
[00:16:45] Alex: Yes, a little bit.
[00:16:46] Lindsay: Like in... Okay.
[00:16:46] Alex: Don't go crazy, but yes.
[00:16:48] Lindsay: Which I'm sure translates into things that only benefit you as a driver. Is that right, would you say?
[00:16:54] Alex: I think so. I don't know. It works. At least for me.
[00:16:56] Lindsay: Have you always been that way?
[00:16:58] Alex: Probably not when I w- not when I was a kid, but I would say that, yeah, I used to see my dad taking care of
[00:17:05] everything that he had, and, yeah, I just took it to an extreme now.
[00:17:10] Lindsay: I love it. Last thing. You've said that, you know, winning the Indy 500 was the dream, obviously, but, and it's complete, but now it makes you wanna go do another. Is there some common thread that you can sort of see now between great athletes that have achieved something that you think is the difference-maker, you know?
[00:17:31] Alex: It's tough, but I would say just the work and probably the attitude of not being super high whenever you have good moments, and not being low whenever you have bad moments. That's
[00:17:46] Lindsay: The most common. Like, do you know, in the NFL, that is the most common answer- Yeah, that you get when you're interviewing someone about a big high-pressure thing, is, "Oh, don't get too high, don't get too low."
[00:17:55] It almost seems like there's a book that pro athletes have. Do you know what I mean? Yeah.
[00:17:59] Alex: But I think It's common, we experience and we see in other drivers that probably get too excited, and you're like, "It's only one race, or they suddenly give up just because they had a bad race, and you're like, "It's only one race.
[00:18:13] It's fine." But, yeah, probably that.
[00:18:16] Lindsay: Awesome. Thank you. Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you so much. You know what's so crazy, is when you hear Alex just sharing about his journey, and it's like, golly, you think about how there must have been so many times that there are doubts in his mind about like, okay, yes, you're burning f- fuel, you're burning money, whatever you're doing, like, how, you know, is this it?
[00:18:38] Should I stop? And I love how honest he was about just what it was like. And I can tell you that watching and observing and knowing now, being around the sport, is critical, the family aspect that these drivers have, and the team that they have around them. And oftentimes, the team is the family, too.
[00:19:00] But you know, that's such a big part of it. And really, that's one of the big reasons that I just love this sport so much. So, I hope you'll pay attention to our racing coverage. And, as always, if you like this episode, please leave a... Yeah. Hi.
[00:19:18] Thank you. Please, leave a comment, like, subscribe, rate, review, and listen to an episode with a friend for my daughter and me. Thanks for listening and watching. And we will see you next week.