Three-time and reigning IndyCar Series champion Alex Palou has linked up with Mercedes-AMG to contest Intercontinental GT Challenge’s season finale at the Indianapolis 8 Hour Presented by AWS.
The 27-year-old joins Fabian Schiller and Luca Stolz aboard Lone Star Racing’s entry next weekend (October 3-5), which doubles as this year’s Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS title decider.
Palou’s is one of two Pro entries amongst Mercedes-AMG’s six-strong contingent at the Brickyard where it won with Craft-Bamboo in 2022. Factory stars Maro Engel, Mikael Grenier and Jules Gounon – who competes as IGTC champion for the final time this year – share the second works entry run by GruppeM Racing, while the likes of SunEnergy1, Regulator Racing, Triple Eight JMR and RealTime Racing complete the manufacturer’s largely Pro-Am ensemble.
Stolz is now its only hope of clinching the IGTC drivers’ crown, but the performance of his Spanish co-driver will provide an interesting sub-plot.
Despite never winning the famous 500, Palou did claim pole for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing with Chip Ganassi Racing earlier this year after scoring consecutive IndyCar victories on the Road Course used by the 8 Hour.
But he’s also no stranger to GT3 machinery. His meteoric rise in America since debuting five years ago obscures a largely forgotten part-season Super GT programme with Team Goh and McLaren in Japan, while his appreciation for the category also saw him pay IGTC a visit in 2022.
"I went to cheer [fellow Spaniard] Dani Juncadella two years ago when he raced in Indianapolis, and I wanted to do the race if there was a chance,” he said. “I received this excellent opportunity through AMG with a chance to win the race.
“While I will have to learn the characteristics of the car, Indianapolis is a track that I know very well, and I also have some previous experience racing in the GT3 cars. The obvious difference from IndyCar is that the GT3 cars are closed cockpit. The overall grip will be less than what I am normally used to but at the same time, it’s very tough to be on the limit because of the GT3 cars’ weight. I am really looking forward to having fun and fighting for the win at the Indy 8 Hour. It would be amazing to close out the season on a high with another trophy.”
The Indy 8 Hour, which takes place next Saturday, is live on SRO’s GT World YouTube channel.
