Alex Palou was posed an interesting question during NTT INDYCAR SERIES Content Days in early January. If he could choose one feat to accomplish in 2025 between a third consecutive Astor Cup championship trophy in August or securing his first Indianapolis 500 victory May 25, which would he prioritize?

Only 75 drivers in 108 editions have won the Indianapolis 500. Palou could be No. 76 and halt Team Penske driver Josef Newgarden from becoming the first to win three in a row.

Palou, a three-time series champion, could join a rare club including Ted Horn (1946-48), Sebastien Bourdais (2004-07) and Dario Franchitti (2009-11) as drivers to win three straight championships.

His answer shocked some people.

“I don't know,” Palou said. “It's tough. I want to win the Indy 500 so bad. I know what it is, but I don't think anybody knows exactly how big it is until you win it. At least that's what I heard from the drivers, and you can see it from outside.

“But winning three INDYCAR championships in a row is pretty sweet, as well. Probably I would say the three championships in a row and then win the Indy 500 in 2026, which that's -- to your equation, that works. I would do that.

“If it's only one, then that's it then I need to retire, I would obviously do the Indy 500. But I'm not going to retire now. I'll get the three championships, and then the Indy 500 in the future.”

Palou has time to win Indy and has been close to drinking the milk before. In 2021, his second start, he was passed by Helio Castroneves with two laps remaining as Castroneves earned his record-tying fourth Indianapolis 500 victory. In 2022, bad luck struck while leading, forcing Palou to pit for emergency service, dropping him to 31st. He’d charge back to ninth.

In 2023, he earned NTT P1 Award honors but was hit by Rinus VeeKay’s Ed Carpenter Racing car while it exited the pits. Palou dropped outside the top 25 but rebounded to finish fourth. He finished fifth last May.

That’s why Palou wants to deliver the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing team another championship, which would tie the Spaniard with Mario Andretti, Bourdais and Franchitti for third-most titles, trailing only seven from A.J. Foyt and six by Ganassi teammate Scott Dixon.

The pursuit of a third consecutive title begins March 2 at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding (noon ET, FOX, INDYCAR Radio Network).

Palou’s approach in St. Petersburg may look somewhat different than the past. The conquistador of concrete has made a career out of consistency. That is what made Palou dangerous, according to Dixon.

“If you're having a bad day, you've got to get the most out of it,” Dixon said. “Alex (Palou) and the 10 car team last year was a huge testament to that. Rough weekends where they just maybe had an issue in qualifying or something but were still able to pull out a top five or a top four. Those are the days that win you the championship.

“I think the both of us only had two wins last year, but still for him to come away with the championship, it just showed that consistency last year was definitely -- and you must finish, you must finish well. They did a great job.”

The worst finish in Palou’s 2023 championship-winning season was eighth. Last year, Palou qualified 10th or worse seven times but managed five top-five finishes in those races.

“I would say the consistency helped in both years,” Palou said. “And it's been because also I have a great team behind (me), that even when I struggle and we start P16, P17 in the race, they get me to the front, and those weekends count a lot. Instead of having a P-bananas on the race, you get a top 10 that counts at the end of the year.”

So why change what’s not broken?

Palou fears complacency and hears his peers discuss the blueprint to beat him. Like most sports, success leads to a copycat league. The blueprint to beating Palou is to replicate his consistency.

With everyone chasing him, he has the luxury of doing something different.

“No, 100 percent you need to change it, otherwise you'll fall very quick here in INDYCAR,” he said. “I would say every sport, if you don't change just because it's been successful, they'll catch up really, really quick.

“I'm not saying we're going crazy. I'm not going to go crazy and change all my stuff. But yeah, I'm trying to change some stuff, both physically, mentally and the way I drive, hopefully. Hopefully I can push myself in areas that I've been struggling the past season.

“We're going to change a little bit, see if it works, and see if we can continue to be up front. But the competition, we know it's going to be tough.

“Everybody, we start from zero. You guys and me included; we're not going to care about 2024 once we're in St. Pete. Maybe they'll care in 15, 20 years maybe when I retire, hopefully, but not now. I think now it's all about 2025.”