​Rewriting my Motorsport photo for CGR at the close of the current season signals the end of an era for the sport, elevating the 29-year-old Spaniard to the role of de facto leader and longest-tenured driver at CGR as the 2027 season approaches. Earlier this week, CGR announced that Dixon will depart after a legendary 24-year run. Palou joined the team in 2021, coming on board soon after Dixon’s sixth and final IndyCar title in 2020. The forthcoming transition marks a major shift for the championship-winning outfit. At 29, Palou is set to become the team’s veteran centerpiece and stand-in leader for the 2027 campaign, succeeding Dixon, who leaves behind an unmatched CGR legacy that includes six series titles and 58 wins, capped by the 2008 Indianapolis 500 triumph. “I would not be here today without him,” Palou said of Dixon.
Following opening practice at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, where Palou was the third-fastest, he reflected on Dixon’s departure. “Yeah, it’s sad,” he said. “It’s sad because of what he has done for the team, for everyone at Chip Ganassi Racing. I haven’t been there from day one, obviously, but I know I would not be here today without him and the results I’ve achieved. It’s big-time because of him. Very sad, but at the same time, it’s okay. It’s part of life. It’s part of the sport. I wish him the best, honestly. I’m going to keep learning as much as I can throughout the races we still have.” With Dixon gone, Palou will unquestionably be the benchmark driver at Ganassi, yet he downplayed the notion that his recent title run would intimidate any future teammate stepping into the vacant #9 CGR seat. “No, I think it’s… When I had the opportunity to be teammates with Scott, it was the best thing that could have happened to me,” he said. “First, you have no pressure because you’re racing against the best. You can learn as much as you can. A teammate who drives the same car can observe everything I do and learn as much as he wants from me—can drive the same car I drive. I think it’s actually an opportunity that many people want. They always want to compare themselves or drive the same car as the person who is winning.”
Although Dixon has long been seen as the heart and soul of CGR, Palou does not anticipate a drastic shift in day-to-day operations once he becomes the veteran anchor. He stressed that Ganassi has always fostered an egalitarian environment among its drivers. “The way this team operates is very open,” Palou said. “Every driver has the same amount of say. From day one I’ve had the same amount of….”