Palou Sets Speed in Indy 500 Qualifying
Indianapolis, IN — Alex Palou dominated the qualifying session for the 2025 Indianapolis 500, clocking an impressive average speed of 233.043 mph over four laps. He will run last in tomorrow’s Fast 12 as drivers vie for a place in the Fast 6 shootout for pole position.
Joining Palou among the top qualifiers are Scott McLaughlin, Josef Newgarden, Pato O’Ward, Scott Dixon, Robert Schwartzman, David Malukas, Felix Rosenqvist, Takuma Sato, Will Power, Marcus Ericsson, and Christian Lundgaard.
Close Call for Rahal
The day’s drama unfolded significantly further down the grid. Graham Rahal barely avoided elimination, securing his spot by just 0.004 mph. Marco Andretti, however, will participate in the last-chance qualifier after failing to improve in time.
Rahal acknowledged the close call: “Two of the guys I respect most, Rinus and Marco, were right there. But our team kept their cool and we improved significantly throughout the day.”
Qualifying Highlights
The session began with Marcus Ericsson leading the charge at 232.132 mph, quickly succeeded by O’Ward’s benchmark of 232.820 mph. However, the day was marred by a frightening incident involving Colton Herta, who spun and flipped upside down on his first lap. Thankfully, he emerged unscathed and returned later in a backup car, qualifying at 230.192 mph.
As qualifying progressed, Felix Rosenqvist showcased speed on the first two laps but struggled on the third. Ultimately, Palou’s pace remained unmatched, even as Conor Daly faced disqualification after a post-qualifying inspection issue.
The Final Hour Dynamics
As temperatures fell, the urgency escalated in the closing hour. Ed Carpenter pushed his car to provisional 15th but faced near wall contact. Herta’s comeback was notable, managing to push past his teammate Andretti, though he too faced adversities.
Late in the session, Rahal found himself precariously positioned at 30th, while Lundgaard occupied the final top-12 spot. Ultimately, Andretti’s final effort to escape elimination fell short as Rahal stayed just above the danger zone.
Daly, aiming for the top 12, moved from 21st to 13th but narrowly missed advancement. “I investigated holding sixth gear through Turns 1 and 2, but it got tight,” he noted.
Tomorrow’s schedule includes Fast 12 qualifying starting at 4 PM EST, followed by a last-chance qualifier and the Fast 6 showdown for pole at 6:25 PM EST.
