5 IndyCar storylines to watch in 2025: Alex Palou's three-peat attempt

Bob Pockrass

FOX NASCAR Insider

The 2025 IndyCar season promises to build on a 2024 campaign that featured seven different winners in 17 events and a battle for the championship that went down to the final race.

As the series looks ahead to 2025 — the first season with all races telecast on FOX — here’s a look at some of the top storylines to follow:

1. Indy 500 and Kyle Larson

The Indianapolis 500 is the biggest storyline every year in IndyCar, and this year will mark the second time Kyle Larson attempts the Indy 500-Coke 600 double. And it has to go better than last year when a storm system delayed the 500, where he finished 18th, and he got to Charlotte as the rains arrived to end that race before he could ever get into the car (Justin Allgaier started the race). And while Larson’s crossover racing appeal will add eyes to the biggest motorsports event, all eyes will be on all 33 drivers, especially whether Josef Newgarden can three-peat. And this will be the first Indy 500 with the new hybrid engine system.

2. Colton Herta and Pato O’Ward

The two IndyCar drivers have combined for 16 career victories and seek their first IndyCar titles. Herta finished second in the standings last year while O’Ward has been top-five in the standings in four of the past five seasons. Can they snag that elusive title — and as they do, will they have an eye on a possible Formula 1 ride? Herta is a possible candidate for the Cadillac effort that begins in 2026 as long as he can obtain his super license. O’Ward is a reserve driver for McLaren and did a couple of tests last fall.

3. Alex Palou championship and saga

Palou will go for his fourth IndyCar title and third in a row. He still seeks his first oval victory, though, and that pursuit continues to be a storyline. His off-the-track drama still is winding through the United Kingdom courts in the battles between him, his lawyers and McLaren, but so far that hasn’t impacted the performance of this driver, who seems cemented in the Ganassi stable.

4. Andretti Global

With Michael Andretti stepping back from day-to-day operations, how the organization operates under majority owner Dan Towriss and new president Jill Gregory remains to be seen. The Andretti name is synonymous with IndyCar racing and while there shouldn’t be any drop in performance, if there is any, the scrutiny on new leadership likely will come fast and furious.

5. Scott McLaughlin

The affable McLaughlin from New Zealand enters his fifth IndyCar season. He has finished third the last two years in the standings, but 2024 proved a somewhat breakout year as he won two races on ovals. If there is going to be a year in which he should start to rank with the series leaders throughout the season and challenge for a title, this would be the one.

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.