Key takeaways
- Fifth championship secured: Álex Palou finished 10th at the Milwaukee Mile, securing enough points to seal his fifth IndyCar Series title in the last six seasons.
- O’Ward’s Sunday sweep: Pato O’Ward completed a clean sweep of the Milwaukee doubleheader, winning both Race 1 and Race 2 on the same day for Arrow McLaren.
- Strategic chaos: O’Ward executed a stunning late-race restart to pass David Malukas, holding off the Penske driver to take the checkered flag.
Álex Palou cemented his status among motor racing legends on Sunday evening, navigating a cautious, risk-free drive to complete the delayed Milwaukee Mile Race 1 in 10th place and officially secure his fifth IndyCar Series championship.
Holding a massive points cushion over Kyle Kirkwood, Palou avoided unnecessary wheel-to-wheel battles as track action resumed following Saturday’s rain postponement. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver steadily managed his pace through multiple restarts, doing exactly what was required to lock up his fifth title over the past six years.
At the front of the field, Pato O’Ward completed an unprecedented Sunday sweep. Having already won Race 2 earlier in the afternoon, O’Ward restarted behind David Malukas with 24 laps remaining, pulling off a breathtaking three-wide move into Turn 1 to snatch the lead. The Arrow McLaren star controlled the final stint to cross the line 1.753s ahead of Malukas, while Rinus VeeKay snagged the final podium spot in 3rd for Juncos Hollinger Racing.
The race featured high drama, including a late crash involving Caio Collet and Josef Newgarden that triggered a yellow flag on Lap 215, as well as an earlier wall contact for Will Power on Lap 200.
This championship conclusion follows a dramatic weekend of racing, including Pato O’Ward winning Milwaukee Race 2 as Palou extended his lead and rain forcing the initial delay of Race 1.
The 2026 IndyCar Series season concludes next weekend, September 4–6, at Laguna Seca. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover all the action live. Follow updates on our news page.
Milwaukee Mile Race 1 – Full Official Results
| Pos | Driver | Team | Engine | Status / Gap |
| 1 | Pato O’Ward | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet | 250 laps |
| 2 | David Malukas | Team Penske | Chevrolet | +1.7535s |
| 3 | Rinus VeeKay | Juncos Hollinger Racing | Chevrolet | +2.8641s |
| 4 | Scott McLaughlin | Team Penske | Chevrolet | +5.2225s |
| 5 | Christian Rasmussen | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | +7.2108s |
| 6 | Christian Lundgaard | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet | +7.7279s |
| 7 | Josef Newgarden | Team Penske | Chevrolet | +8.8271s |
| 8 | Marcus Ericsson | Andretti Global | Honda | +9.8435s |
| 9 | Marcus Armstrong | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda | +15.2149s |
| 10 | Álex Palou | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | +15.9026s (Champion) |
| 11 | Louis Foster | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda | +16.0861s |
| 12 | Mick Schumacher | PREMA Racing | Chevrolet | +17.0485s |
| 13 | Nolan Siegel | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet | +17.6015s |
| 14 | Alexander Rossi | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | +18.1247s |
| 15 | Kyle Kirkwood | Andretti Global | Honda | +20.8217s |
| 16 | Kyffin Simpson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | +22.5506s |
| 17 | Felix Rosenqvist | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda | +24.5998s |
| 18 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | +1 Lap |
| 19 | Romain Grosjean | Juncos Hollinger Racing | Chevrolet | +1 Lap (+14.0833s) |
| 20 | Santino Ferrucci | A.J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet | +2 Laps |
| 21 | Dennis Hauger | Dale Coyne Racing | Honda | +2 Laps |
| 22 | Sting Ray Robb | A.J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet | +2 Laps |
| 23 | Graham Rahal | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda | +4 Laps |
| 24 | Caio Collet | A.J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet | +39 Laps (Contact) |
| 25 | Will Power | Team Penske | Chevrolet | +51 Laps (Contact) |
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. Did Álex Palou win the 2026 IndyCar Series Championship?
Yes. By finishing 10th in Race 1 at Milwaukee, Álex Palou mathematically locked up his fifth IndyCar Series title.
2. Who won Race 1 of the Milwaukee doubleheader?
Pato O’Ward won Race 1 for Arrow McLaren, completing a double-victory sweep after also winning Race 2 earlier in the day.
3. When and where is the final race of the 2026 IndyCar Series season?
The season finale takes place from September 4–6, 2026, at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
