Motorsports
Palou Seals Third Straight IndyCar Crown
Spain’s Alex Palou clinched his third consecutive IndyCar season title — and fourth in five years — after finishing third at the Portland Grand Prix on Sunday. The race win went to Australia’s Will Power, with Denmark’s Christian Lundgaard in second.
Palou joins Ted Horn, Sébastien Bourdais, and Dario Franchitti as the only drivers in series history to win three straight championships. The 28-year-old now sits third on the all-time title list, behind A.J. Foyt’s 10 and Scott Dixon’s six.
“This has been an amazing season, an amazing five years with Chip Ganassi Racing,” Palou said. “I couldn’t be happier. I tried everything to overtake Lundgaard but couldn’t make it today.”
With 626 points — 151 clear of Pato O’Ward — Palou secured the title with two races left. O’Ward’s hopes ended early after an electrical failure on lap 21 left him eight laps down, forcing him to settle for 25th place, his worst finish of the season.
Palou’s 2025 campaign has delivered eight wins, including the Indianapolis 500, and he still has a chance to match the single-season record of 10 victories with Milwaukee and Nashville remaining.
Power’s triumph was his second straight and 45th career win. “It’s a big win for the team. We’ve had a rough year, but this one was hard-fought,” he said.
Sebastien Ogier kept his World Rally Championship dream alive in Chile on Sunday, clinching his 66th career victory and tightening his grip on a possible record-equalling ninth world title.
The 41-year-old Frenchman, driving for Toyota, crossed the finish line 11 seconds ahead of teammate Elfyn Evans. The Welshman had been leading after Friday’s stages, but Ogier mastered the rain-soaked gravel on Saturday to seize control.
It was Ogier’s fifth win of the season, enough to lift him two points clear of Evans at the top of the drivers’ standings with only three rallies left on the calendar. Should he hold on, he will match the legendary Sebastien Loeb’s tally of nine titles.
The result also marked Toyota’s 10th win of the season, extending its cushion over Hyundai in the manufacturers’ standings and bringing the Japanese marque closer to a fifth straight team championship. Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux gave Hyundai some consolation by finishing third.
Ogier had initially planned to drive part-time this season, skipping three rallies. But once the title fight opened up in his favor, he decided to contest the remaining events. His back-to-back wins now mean he will take on the role of road opener at the next round, the Central European Rally on October 16 — an advantage on the tarmac.
Reflecting on the win, Ogier admitted it wasn’t all smooth sailing: “We had to fight a bit more, we had a little issue in the mornings as I was not awake but we can be pleased with the way we ended up. I’m happy with that and I’m looking forward to switching to tarmac.”
Lewis Hamilton’s dream start with Ferrari has turned into the toughest season of his Formula One career, with the Italian Grand Prix arriving as a crucial test of patience for fans and team alike.
The seven-time world champion joined Ferrari this year, sparking hope among the tifosi that their 18-year wait for a driver’s crown would end. Instead, Hamilton sits a staggering 200 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri after 15 races, without a single win or podium.
The Dutch Grand Prix capped off Ferrari’s misery. Hamilton spun in practice, then crashed out of the race alongside teammate Charles Leclerc. A five-place grid penalty for failing to slow under yellow flags only makes Monza harder.
Still, Hamilton insists he hasn’t lost his sense of pride in wearing red. At a fan event in Milan, he called it “special to remember I’m a Ferrari driver,” adding that the passion of supporters was “intense but very positive.”
Yet behind the optimism lies frustration. At Hungary, Hamilton even described himself as “completely useless,” fueling speculation about retirement. He admits the rollercoaster has been more volatile than expected, but hopes “the sun may be coming out on the brighter end of the tunnel.”
For now, Ferrari is a sideshow at their own home race. The season has been defined by McLaren’s domination, with Piastri and Lando Norris winning all but three races. Piastri leads Norris by 34 points, while Max Verstappen—second at Zandvoort—faces the reality of losing his grip on the title after four straight championships.
Monza may still roar for Ferrari, but unless Hamilton and Leclerc find form, the famous circuit will belong to McLaren’s rising stars.
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🏎️ FORMULA ONE: CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
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Formula One world championship standings ahead of this weekend’s
Dutch Grand Prix — the 15th round of the 24-race season.
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WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE
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🏁 DRIVERS STANDINGS
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- Oscar Piastri (AUS) ………. 284 pts
- Lando Norris (GBR) ……….. 275
- Max Verstappen (NED) ……… 187
- George Russell (GBR) ……… 172
- Charles Leclerc (MON) …….. 151
- Lewis Hamilton (GBR) ……… 109
- Kimi Antonelli (ITA) ……… 64
- Alex Albon (THA) …………. 54
- Nico Hulkenberg (GER) …….. 37
- Esteban Ocon (FRA) ……….. 27
- Fernando Alonso (ESP) …….. 26
- Lance Stroll (CAN) ……….. 26
- Isack Hadjar (FRA) ……….. 22
- Pierre Gasly (FRA) ……….. 20
- Liam Lawson (NZL) ………… 20
- Carlos Sainz (ESP) ……….. 16
- Gabriel Bortoleto (BRA) …… 14
- Yuki Tsunoda (JPN) ……….. 10
- Oliver Bearman (GBR) ……… 8
- Franco Colapinto (ARG) ……. 0
- Jack Doohan (AUS) ………… 0
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🏆 CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS
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- McLaren …………………. 559 pts
- Ferrari …………………. 260
- Mercedes ………………… 236
- Red Bull ………………… 194
- Williams ………………… 70
- Aston Martin …………….. 52
- Sauber ………………….. 51
- Racing Bulls …………….. 45
- Haas ……………………. 35
- Alpine ………………….. 20
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