AUTONEWS

Álex Palou's new sports car has more horsepower than his 500-winning car

Life is looking good for Álex Palou. He's just made history in Spanish sports by winning the Indianapolis 500, pocketing a hefty €3.3 million prize...and taking home a spectacular sports car.

A car that is none other than the Pace Car of the 109th Indy 500: the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. And this isn't just any Corvette, but the most powerful in the history of the legendary American muscle car.

Not surprisingly, its large-displacement V8 engine (5.5 liters) develops a whopping 1,064 horsepower, some 300 more than the single-seater that took Palou to glory at Indianapolis. It doesn't go that fast... but almost, because its top speed is 375 km/h (233 mph).

And, on top of all that, it's spectacular (as a good Corvette should be). Especially because the Pace Car, in addition to bearing the logos of the 109th edition of the 500 Miles, is equipped with the Carbon Aero package, which includes carbon details such as the front bumper corner flaps, the side skirts, and the enormous rear spoiler that, along with the rest of the aerodynamic elements, allows the ZR1 to stick to the road with a vertical pressure of 544 kilos (1,200 lbs) at top speed.

How much is Alex Palou's new car worth?...The market price of the Corvette ZR1 in the United States is around €150,000, which isn't bad at all. But, also, because it's such a special car, its value is sure to increase immediately.

Alex Palou (Chip Ganassi) touched the sky this Sunday at the Indianapolis 500 and became the first Spanish driver to win the legendary motorsports race, which reached its 109th edition this year. Palou, a three-time IndyCar champion and winner of the last two championships, started from sixth place and secured his fifth victory in six races this year, confirming his position as the favorite for a hat trick.

The 28-year-old Catalan driver won the 500 ahead of Swede Marcus Ericsson (Andretti) and achieved his first career victory on an oval, completing the greatest dream of his life. "I can't believe it, what a fantastic day, what a great race. I'm breathless. What a great race from everyone, I can't believe it, it's incredible to be here. There were times when I was good, but I didn't know if I could beat Marcus," said Palou, who couldn't contain his excitement upon getting out of his car.

The Catalan overtook Ericsson with fourteen laps remaining and held onto his first place until the end to seal the Spanish Triple Crown. This success at Indy would complement the victories of Fernando Alonso, Marc Gené and Miguel Molina at the F1 Monte Carlo Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

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