Fellow Champion Alex Palou To Run Special Livery in Season Finale at Laguna Seca

DHL and Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) have partnered to honor the legacy of Alex Zanardi with a special livery on the No. 10 Honda in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season finale Sept. 4-6 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

The car will carry the iconic CGR lightning bolt, made famous by Zanardi and CGR’s other legends during its four consecutive championships from 1996-99. The race on Sept. 6 will coincide with the 30th anniversary of “The Pass,” the legendary move Zanardi made at “The Corkscrew” turn complex on the last lap to win the final race of the year and clinch the Rookie of the Year award. The weekend will also mark the 30th anniversary of CGR’s first championship, won by Zanardi’s teammate, Jimmy Vasser. The feat marked Honda’s first INDYCAR championship.

Driven by four-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion and three-time Laguna Seca race winner Alex Palou, the No. 10 DHL Lightning Bolt Honda will take the track for the first time Friday, Sept. 4, for practice.

Palou has won three of the last four years at the scenic Northern California track, including two in a row. The Spaniard has finished on the podium at Laguna Seca in all five of his starts there with CGR.

“I'm so excited to get the lightning bolt back on our car,” Palou said. “We're racing in memory of Alex Zanardi. We're racing at Laguna, his place, his corner.

“And on top of that, it's the 30th anniversary of CGR’s and Honda's first INDYCAR championship. So, we're putting everything together for the fans, for ourselves, as well. And hopefully it's a great race for the No. 10 DHL car.”

Alex Palou

Palou carries a 91-point advantage in the championship standings heading into this weekend’s doubleheader at the Milwaukee Mile, where he and the No. 10 team will attempt to clinch CGR a record-setting 18th INDYCAR championship.

Zanardi was one of the most inspiring athletes in history. The Italian raced for Chip Ganassi Racing from 1996-98, winning two championships and 15 races with the team. After a harrowing accident in 2001 which required amputation of both legs, Zanardi inspired the world with a return to motorsports competition, highlighted by winning four World Touring Car Championship races and competing in 2019 Rolex 24 At Daytona. He also became a world-class cyclist, winning four Paralympic gold medals and 12 Para-cycling World Championships.

Zanardi died on May 1, 2026. He was 59.

“We are honored to celebrate Alex Zanardi’s legacy, a true motorsports legend whose determination, passion and ‘can-do’ spirit embody the same values that drive our employees every day,” DHL Express U.S. CEO Greg Hewitt said. “Laguna Seca is especially meaningful as we celebrate 15 years in INDYCAR and an incredible season with Alex Palou. It’s a fitting way to honor Zanardi’s legacy while celebrating the winning spirit that makes this such a special moment for DHL and Chip Ganassi Racing.”

DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management.