Hélio Castroneves is caked in the face by his countrymen Tony Kanaan and Gil de Ferran, 2003 Indianapolis 500.

Happy 28th Birthday, Álex Palou! • 4.1.1997

Alex Palou’s family got together to save up enough money to get him a go kart when he was five years old because he had became obsessed with the track he would go by on the way to and from school.

At seven, he was encouraged by a member of the track’s staff to take part in a race.

He won local championships with his dad and uncle being his mechanic and by 14 was accepted into Centre d’alt Rendiment, an elite athletic academy, and got to be a factory driver.

He finished second to George Russell in the European karting championship and the next logical step was open wheel.

But that required money, something he knew his family didn’t have.

Karting had only just been affordable through the factory seat and the cost to do a test, never mind a season, in the likes of Euro Formula Open was the equivalent of eight months of his family’s income.

So he never considered it.

Until he won the Spanish Karting Championship and with it was money to cover the cost of a test.

This also allowed him to catch the eye of Adrián Campos. Impressed him enough to get a seat despite Alex’s lack of backing.

And he did…okay.

He won races but beside his first year in 2014 where he finished 3rd in Euroformula Open Championship and 2nd in Spanish Formula 3 he didn’t have that much success.

By the end of 2016 his opportunities in Europe seemed to be over but Dallara gave him a chance in Japanese Formula 3.

He finished third with three wins.

Back to Europe for a season in Formula 3 after guest staring in the last two races in Formula 2 and again, he did okay. A couple of podiums and seventh in the championship (two places behind future teammate Marcus Armstrong).

But Honda like Alex and so it was back to Japan and Super Formula.

This was when I first heard about Palou when a couple of folk in the discord insisted we watched a replay of round 4 at Fuji Speedway when in the pissing rain he won. A mechanical in the final race had him finish the championship in third.

But he had done enough to get Dale Coyne’s attention.

Then Chip Ganassi’s.

And all because he would go by a go kart track to school.

The good news: you get to pick your new soulmate! (You can define "soulmate" however you want: platonic/romantic/partners in crime/etc. But they will be in your life, constantly.)

The bad news: you don't get to pick where they come from.

Spin this wheel until you get a fandom with characters that you recognize. As soon as you do, stop. One of those people* is going to be a constant presence in your life, whether you like it or not. So choose wisely.

*broadly defined

birds that look like fruit <3

:)

look at him go

palou+🌻 for @hatecauldron send me a driver (or drivers) and an emoji for a graphic

Loïc Duval joining a long list of WEC men that Sebastian Vettel has led on.

you ever see a picture of two guys and the only thing you can think is oh definitely one drunken handjob in 2006

Having a boyfriend is literally free

I’m stuck in my room because i have a fresh arm tattoo that’s not exactly fun to drive with and my little sister and her friends are hanging out in the kitchen so instead of doomscrolling or agonizing over creative projects i’m sending him pictures of various car parts and asking him to name them

wheeel……

I think he likes it?

Gil de Ferran, Winner of the 2003 Indianapolis 500. While it was his sole win in the race, it marked the third consecutive win for Team Penske, and the Brazilian trio of De Ferran, Hélio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan completed a podium sweep. De Ferran finished second in the 2003 championship standings to rookie Scott Dixon, in his final year of IndyCar competition.

one of my buddies is rendered in unreal engine. we rib him about it but at the end of the day he's so lifelike he gets away with it