Alex Palou secured the pole for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway, posting a two‑lap average of 174.353 mph to edge out the field.
Qualifying Overview
The 1.25‑mile egg‑shaped oval saw the reigning IndyCar champion lead a tightly packed session that shuffled the order from rookie Mick Schumacher’s opening run to a final showdown with the points leader. Palou’s #10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda topped the speed charts, moving ahead of David Malukas’s Team Penske entry by more than a full mile per hour.
Top Five Qualifiers
- 1. Alex Palou – 174.353 mph (Chip Ganassi Racing)
- 2. David Malukas – 173.244 mph (Team Penske)
- 3. Kyle Kirkwood – 173.206 mph (Andretti Global)
- 4. Felix Rosenqvist – 172.953 mph (Meyer Shank Racing)
- 5. Scott McLaughlin – 172.869 mph (Team Penske, 2002 throwback livery)
Midfield Action and Surprises
After the front‑row battle, Marcus Armstrong (Meyer Shank Racing) posted a 172.483‑mph average, briefly leading before being passed by multiple competitors. Scott Dixon reclaimed momentum for Chip Ganassi Racing with a 172.478‑mph run, while Josef Newgarden secured third overall with 172.415 mph, adding to his record at WWTR.
Notably, Rinus VeeKay, who crashed during opening practice, managed the second‑fastest early pace at 171.200 mph before being nudged to third by Marcus Ericsson’s 171.384‑mph effort. Meanwhile, Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood produced a 173.206‑mph average that kept him within striking distance of the pole.
Early Sessions and Rookie Performances
The session opened with rookie Mick Schumacher delivering a 170.290‑mph two‑lap average for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Christian Rasmussen soon followed, but a lift on Turn 2 limited his pace to 170.106 mph. Louis Foster briefly claimed the top spot with 170.569 mph before being overtaken by Santino Ferrucci, whose 170.988‑mph run pushed him into the provisional lead.
Other newcomers such as Sting Ray Robb, Caio Collet, Romain Grosjean, and Nolan Siegel produced respectable averages in the 170‑mph range, illustrating the depth of talent across the grid.
Incidents and Technical Issues
Meyer Shank Racing’s Marcus Armstrong encountered a battery that rolled onto the sidepod during his out‑lap, prompting a quick crew intervention before he set a 172.483‑mph average to briefly top the leaderboard. Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward, despite being fastest in practice, struggled with bottoming‑out in Turns 3 and 4, resulting in a 171.992‑mph average that left him sixth in the final order.
Palou’s post‑run comments highlighted the car’s confidence on a circuit where he has historically faced challenges, expressing optimism that the Honda’s power could translate into a strong race effort tomorrow night.
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