Palou to Make GT3 Return With Lone Star at Indianapolis

Three-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Alex Palou will make his first outing at the wheel of a GT3 car for five years in next weekend’s Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS, as he joins Mercedes-AMG squad Lone Star Racing.

The Spanish driver, who wrapped up his third IndyCar title earlier this month at Nashville Superspeedway, will join factory drivers Fabian Schiller and Luca Stolz at the wheel of the No. 4 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo for the Intercontinental GT Challenge title-decider.

It will mark Palou’s first outing in a GT car since he contested the 2019 SUPER GT season with Team Goh in a McLaren 720S GT3, which predated his move to IndyCar in 2020.

“I went to cheer Dani Juncadella two years ago when he raced in Indianapolis, and I wanted to do the race if there was a chance,” explained Palou. “I received this excellent opportunity through AMG with a chance to win the race.

“While I will have to learn the characteristics of the car, Indianapolis is a track that I know very well, and I also have some previous experience racing in GT3 cars.

“The overall grip will be less than what I am normally used to but at the same time, it’s very tough to be on the limit because of the GT3 cars’ weight.

“I am really looking forward to having fun and fighting for the win at the Indy 8H. It would be amazing to close out the season on a high with another trophy.”

Lone Star will be one of five Mercedes-AMG teams on the grid for the Indy 8H on Oct. 4-6, and one of two in the Pro division.

The other is GruppeM, which will be able to call on a trio of Mercedes-AMG factory pilots in the form of Maro Engel, Jules Gounon and Mikael Grenier in the No. 130 entry.

Representing Mercedes-AMG in the Pro-Am ranks will be SunEnergy1 Racing, Regulator Racing and Triple Eight JMR.

Joining SunEnergy1 owner Kenny Habul aboard the No. 75 car will be works driver Lucas Auer and Jayden Ojeda, who has driven Mercedes-AMG machinery in a variety of series this year, including the IGTC season-opening Bathurst 12 Hour.

Factory driver Philip Ellis is partnered by Jeff Burton and Elias Seppanen in the No. 91 Regulator machine, while the No. 888 Triple Eight car will be piloted by Prince Jefri Ibrahim, junior driver Jordan Love and DTM regular Arjun Maini.