Alex Palou, IndyCar driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, was already the sport's biggest talent coming into 2025.
Then he absolutely torched the field for good measure.
While Palou could stick around and become one of the sport's all-time greats, at just 28 years old, if Formula 1 is knocking, why not give it a shot?
One reason to ignore F1's beckoning would be if the team calling is a backmarker. But Palou seems to have interest from a contender.
Red Bull reportedly giving Alex Palou a look
According to the Indianapolis Star, the four-time IndyCar champion is gaining interest in getting a ride with Red Bull in 2026.
The report says Palou could go right to the main team along side F1 four-time champ Max Verstappen instead of going to Red Bull's "B" team, Racing Bulls.
Palou, Ganaassi and Palou's manager, although, denied that the Spanish driver had spoken to Red Bull. Rumors have been prevalent on Palou's alleged opportunities to go to Formula 1 in recent years, but nothing has ever gone further than the rumor mill.
Red Bull's falling form, junior struggles could make this make sense
Red Bull supported Max Verstappen to four championships of his own, as well as two constructors' titles in 2022 and 2023.
But Red Bull's form has fallen since mid-2024 and now hit a point where Verstappen podiums are no longer a sure things.
Rumors about Verstappen's possible exit have floated around, but it seems like he will at least be back for 2026 ... although you can never really be sure in F1.
What opens the door most for Palou to Red Bull is the poor pace from the second seat at the big team. Lately, it's been Yuki Tsunoda doing very little for his team, but before him it was Liam Lawson, then Sergio Perez (who, in reflection, wasn't too bad), Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly.
Tsunoda could very well be on his way out of the team amid his 10 measly points to Verstappen's 187, and Lawson will almost certanily not get a call back to Red Bull. Although Isack Hadjar seems like the in-house call for Red Bull, if they want to give him more time, Palou fits.
Palou is the racing world's best right now, so why not?
Palou is a four-time champ in IndyCar, including three-in-a-row. IndyCar isn't F1, you can't just glide on car performance, the driver plays a massive role.
Palou is coming off his best season in IndyCar, and one of the best in the entire history of the series. He's a winner in eight of 17 races, and on the podium in 12 of 17. He led nearly 200 laps this past weekend in Milwaukee, and the fact he couldn't seal the deal was a massive surprise.
There's a lot to be said about converting your skills from one racing discipline to another, even if they are both open-wheel series. But it has to be a mystifying idea for Red Bull.
If Palou works out, it is a massive win for the new Laurent Mekies regime. And really, if it doesn't, is it that horrible? The Red Bull Junior Team has been left to die in their tries at the second Red Bull seat, and a new set of regulations is the perfect time to introduce an "outsider."
Reports seem to indicate that Palou to F1 is still not too close. But if Red Bull wants to make a splash, they should get the gears turning a bit faster for the hottest driver in racing right now.