Alex Palou controlled the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach from the front, managing the street circuit to take the victory and extend his championship lead.
LONG BEACH, Calif. — The streets of Long Beach belong to Alex Palou. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver put on a commanding display around the temporary street circuit to take the chequered flag at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, one of IndyCar’s most iconic and beloved events on the calendar.
From the moment the field took the green flag, Palou demonstrated the kind of measured aggression that has made him one of the most complete drivers in the series. Managing traffic, tyre degradation, and the ever-present threat of the unforgiving concrete barriers with equal composure, the Spaniard was rarely challenged for the lead once he established himself at the front.
The Perfect Setup
Long Beach has a unique character among street circuits. The combination of tight, technical sections and brief bursts of high-speed running demands a car that is both nimble through the slower corners and planted under braking. Palou and the Ganassi crew appeared to have found the ideal setup from early in the weekend, with the No. 10 Dallara-Honda consistently posting competitive times throughout practice and qualifying.
The race itself unfolded across a tense backdrop of strategy calls and safety car periods that reshuffled the pack and kept the pressure on throughout. Yet Palou remained unflustered, responding to every threat with clinical precision and pulling away when it mattered most.
A California Spectacle
The streets of Long Beach provided their usual spectacular backdrop for the racing — palm trees lining the circuit, grandstands packed with passionate fans, and the relentless noise of open-wheel machinery echoing off the downtown buildings. For those trackside, it was a reminder of why this event has remained one of motorsport’s great spectacles for over five decades.
Behind Palou, the battle for the remaining podium positions was fiercely contested, with several drivers swapping positions through the pit cycle. The field featured the full spectrum of IndyCar machinery, from the distinctive orange of Arrow McLaren to the bold red and blue liveries of Team Penske, each outfit bringing its own strategic approach to one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar.
The Driver to Beat
The weekend also delivered memorable moments away from the racing itself. A pre-race display by the US Army Golden Knights parachute team drew cheers from the packed grandstands, setting the tone for what proved to be a thoroughly entertaining afternoon of motorsport on the California coast.
For Palou, the Long Beach victory adds another chapter to what is shaping up to be a landmark season. His ability to perform under pressure on the most demanding of circuits underlines why he remains the driver to beat in the NTT IndyCar Series.
The NTT IndyCar Series now moves on to its next challenge, with teams already turning their attention to the next round as the championship battle continues to take shape. If Long Beach is anything to go by, Palou will be the man to stop.
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Photography by James Hedley — Speed and Spirit Media. All images shot trackside at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 2026.
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