IndyCar Indy 500 Auto Racing

Alex Palou, of Spain, makes a pit stop during the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — IndyCar points leader Alex Palou has been docked five championship points after a postrace technical inspection found an assembly error on the No. 10 car he used in Sunday's Indianapolis 500.

The Chip Ganassi Racing team also lost five entrant points and was fined $10,000.

Series officials released a statement Monday saying they had found the team had made an assembly error that resulted in a rules violation and was not an intentional change.

Palou who owns four series titles, including three straight, finished sixth in Sunday's race. The Spaniard still maintains a 37-point advantage over American David Malukas, who was passed by winner Felix Rosenqvist in the final yards in the closest race in Indy 500 history and finished as runner-up for the second straight year.

The victory margin was 0.023 seconds.


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