Alex Palou becomes first Spaniard to win Indycar Championship | IndyCar Series | 2021

Smooth and steady, same as he's been all season, Alex Palou cruised to his first IndyCar championship with an easy drive at the Grand Prix of Long Beach.

The 24-year-old became the first Spaniard to win the IndyCar championship and pulled it off in just his second season in the United States with a fourth-place finish on the temporary downtown street course that rolls along the Long Beach waterfront.

Colton Herta won the race - Long Beach is considered his home track - for his second consecutive win and third of the season.

Josef Newgarden finished second and Scott Dixon, the six-time and reigning champion, finished third before turning the IndyCar crown over to his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate.

Palou held a 35-point lead over Pato O'Ward at the start of the race and needed only to finish 11th or better to clinch the title.

O'Ward was knocked out of the race 18 laps after it started and Palou just had to make it to the finish line from there.

#IndyCar #LongBeachGP #AlexPalou

Acuna Grand Prix of Long Beach, Long Beach, California, USA. 26th September 2021.

0:00 Scenic shot of circuit
0:06 No. 10 Alex Palou in pitlane pre-race
0:10 Green flag
0:20 No. 5 Pato O'Ward is hit and spun by No. 18 Ed Jones in the hairpin
0:31 Replay
0:40 Replay of No. 26 Colton Herta and No. 28 Ryan Hunter-Reay contact in the haripin
0:49 No. 27 Alexander Rossi and No. 8 Marcus Ericsson battle, Ericsson goes into the tires with replay
0:57 No. 26 Colton Herta passes No. 9 Scott Dixon
1:02 No. 26 Colton Herta passes No. 2 Josef Newgarden
1:11 No. 51 Romain Grosjean stopped in the pits
1:16 No. 51 Romain Grosjean out of the car on pit lane
1:25 Contact between No. 45 Oliver Askew and No. 20 Conor Daly
1:31 Restart, No. 26 Colton Herta leads
1:38 No. 26 Colton Herta takes the checkered flag for the race win
1:53 No. 10 Alex Palou finishes fourth to win the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship
1:59 No. 10 Alex Palou's crew celebrates
2:08 No. 10 Alex Palou celebrates by doing donuts
2:15 No. 10 Alex Palou celebrates with girlfriend Esther and father Ramon
2:38 No. 10 Alex Palou raises trophy
2:52 SOUNDBITE (English), Alex Palou, 2021 IndyCar Champion:

"Oh my god man. What a race, what a year, what a season. This team is amazing. I don't know what to say. I'm super proud to be a part of Chip Ganassi Racing, all our partners. Yeah super happy, can't thank enough - people that made this possible Chip Ganassi especially. Yeah my family, everybody, management team. Amazing."

3:24 SOUNDBITE (English), Alex Palou, 2021 IndyCar Champion:

"Oh a 100 percent. Dream completed. Let's get another one now."

SOURCE: VNR

Neil Kingston Instagram: @nk_mxp

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