Alex Palou wins 2025 IndyCar Children’s of Alabama Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park with a commanding 81 out of 90-lap race lead to finish 16s ahead of Scott McLaughlin.
Held on May 4th at the challenging 2.3-mile, 17-turn road course just outside Birmingham, Alabama, the race tested the mettle of the entire field over 90 laps, covering 207 miles of intense competition.
From the outset, Alex Palou winning the Children’s of Alabama Grand Prix was pretty much expected after the reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion entered the weekend as the series points leader, having already secured two wins and a second-place finish in the first three races of the season.
Palou’s performance throughout the weekend underscored his status as he clinched pole position in a dramatic qualifying session where the top spot changed hands multiple times in the final moments.
His pole-winning lap of 1 minute, 7.2918 seconds in the No. 10 HRC Chip Ganassi Racing Honda was a testament to his precision and speed at the technical Barber Motorsports Park, a track where he first tasted IndyCar victory in 2021.
The race day conditions were ideal with bright sunshine and moderate temperatures around 60 degrees, a welcome change from the intermittent rain and muggy heat experienced during practice sessions.
The race was characterized by clean driving and strategic tire management with no caution periods disrupting the flow. Speed averaged 116.562 mph with the total race time clocking in at 1 hour, 46 minutes, and 33 seconds.
The wide 45-foot racing surface and the 80 feet of elevation change at Barber Motorsports Park provided ample opportunities for overtaking but drivers had to exercise patience and precision.
At the drop of the green flag, Alex Palou took command immediately, leading the opening 23 laps with a blend of aggressive pace and tactical savvy.
The race featured six lead changes among three drivers with Palou and Marcus Armstrong exchanging the lead multiple times. Armstrong briefly led laps 24-25 and again from 47-50 while Scott McLaughlin, Palou’s teammate at Team Penske, also made a strong push, leading laps 65-67.
However, Palou’s consistency and racecraft allowed him to regain and hold the lead from lap 68 through to the finish. His dominance was clear as he crossed the finish line more than 16 seconds ahead of the competition, a significant margin in IndyCar racing.
“It was a perfect day, a perfect weekend,” Palou said. “The car was amazing, super fast. I had a ton of fun.
“Was a bit lonely there, but I loved it. It was an amazing day.”
MORE INDYCAR:
IndyCar Barber Qualifying Results – Alex Palou claims pole
David Malukas tops Barber practice 2 amid changing conditions
Christian Lundgaard delivered an impressive performance to finish second in his Dallara-Chevrolet while Scott McLaughlin who started second on the grid, completed the podium in third place.
Rinus VeeKay and Will Power followed in fourth and fifth, respectively, both drivers showing competitive form in their respective Dallara-Honda and Chevrolet machines.
Pato O’Ward despite an incident in practice where he hit the barrier at Turn 17 managed to recover and finish sixth. Other notable performances included Colton Herta in seventh, Alexander Rossi in eighth and Nolan Siegel who made his first Fast Six qualifying appearance and finished ninth.
Josef Newgarden, however, had a tougher day after starting from ninth and finishing tenth, unable to break into the top tier.
Meanwhile, six-time series champion Scott Dixon starting from 26th due to a qualifying mishap fought his way through the field to finish 12th demonstrating his relentless competitiveness despite starting deep in the pack.
Alex Palou’s win at Barber Motorsports Park marks his third win of the 2025 IndyCar season, further extending his lead in the championship standings. With 196 points, he holds a substantial advantage over his closest rivals including Lundgaard with 136 points and Kirkwood with 127.
