Lundgaard leads Palou in sunny Friday practice in Portland

Portland IndyCar Practice Report: Lundgaard Edges Palou in Close Session

Portland, OR – A competitive showdown unfolded during the IndyCar Series practice session at Portland International Raceway on Friday, where Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard outpaced Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou by a mere 0.0061 seconds. Lundgaard clocked a lap of 58.532 seconds using Firestone’s alternate tire compound.

Palou, who is in close contention for the championship against Pato O’Ward, finished closely behind with a 58.538-second lap in his Honda. The top six participants included Meyers Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist in third with a 58.659 seconds, followed by Graham Rahal (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 58.688s), Josef Newgarden (Team Penske, 58.713s), and David Malukas (AJ Foyt Racing, 58.750s).

Notably, O’Ward faced challenges throughout the session, finishing ninth with a lap of 58.798 seconds. Colton Herta, who struggled after spending much of the session sidelined, managed to improve to 13th (58.887s) before the checkered flag. Defending Portland race winner Scott McLaughlin experienced difficulties as well, concluding the session in 19th place with a 59.130-second lap.

The session encountered a red flag when Scott Dixon went off track at Turn 12, requiring assistance. After resuming, the final pace ramped up, with Rosenqvist and Palou bouncing into the top ranks as time dwindled. Notably, Lundgaard reclaimed the top spot just minutes before the session ended.

Both practice segments featured a mixture of exploratory laps by rookies and qualifying simulations, with Lundgaard eventually emerging as the fastest in both segments—first leading with a 58.532 seconds lap and later finishing behind Palou in the second session at 58.538 seconds.