Key takeaways - Honoring a legend: Chip Ganassi Racing unveiled a retro 1996 livery for Álex Palou at the Laguna Seca season finale, paying tribute to the late Alessandro Zanardi. - 30th anniversary of “The Pass”: The design marks 30 years since Zanardi’s famous overtake on Bryan Herta at the Corkscrew in September 1996. - Championship on the brink: Palou leads the 2026 IndyCar title race by 91 points over Kyle Kirkwood heading into the Milwaukee doubleheader ahead of Laguna Seca. Chip Ganassi Racing will honor motorsport icon Alessandro Zanardi at the 2026 IndyCar Series season finale at Laguna Seca (September 4–6). Championship leader Álex Palou will run a specialized livery inspired by the target lightning-bolt design driven by Zanardi in 1996—the year Ganassi captured its first category title alongside Honda. While Jimmy Vasser secured the 1996 championship drivers’ crown, Zanardi etched his name into racing lore at Laguna Seca on September 8, 1996, executing “The Pass” on Bryan Herta through the Corkscrew on the final lap to take victory. The tribute carries added weight following Zanardi’s passing on May 1, 2026. The updated livery on Palou’s #10 Honda integrates the bold red hues and lightning graphics characteristic of Ganassi’s 1996 fleet, blended with modern primary sponsor accents. “I’m excited to have the lightning livery on the car,” Palou stated. “We’re going to race in memory of Alessandro Zanardi. We’re going to race at Laguna, at that track, in that corner, and on top of that, it’s 30 years since the anniversary of Ganassi and Honda’s first title in IndyCar. So we’re going to give everything for the fans and for ourselves too. Hopefully, it’s a great race for us in the #10.“ Palou arrives at the final stretch of the season on the verge of securing Ganassi’s record-breaking 19th