O’Ward Falls Short as Palou Dominates at Laguna Seca
Monterey, CA – In a crucial IndyCar Series race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Pato O’Ward aimed to capitalize on his second-place starting position to narrow the gap on championship leader Alex Palou. However, O’Ward’s performance fell short as he finished fourth, while Palou dominated the event, leading 84 of 95 laps and securing his eighth victory of the season.
With this result, Palou extends his championship lead from 100 to 121 points over O’Ward, complicating the latter’s title aspirations. O’Ward must reduce this deficit to under 108 points in the upcoming race at Portland in two weeks to keep his championship hopes alive.
“I didn’t have much to fight with, really,” O’Ward said post-race. “We were a lot weaker than I anticipated… just on getting pace out of the car. I felt weak on both [tire compounds].”
Heading into the Portland race, O’Ward acknowledged the challenges he faces: “Portland’s also been very difficult for us… My expectations going into it are definitely not winning.” He noted that his best result at the track is fourth and aims for a podium finish this time.
Despite the significant points gap, O’Ward remains committed: “Yeah, 120 points. It’s a tall task, but still mathematically possible. Is it likely? Probably not, but we’re gonna keep on pushing.”
Palou’s relentless consistency this season has positioned him as the standout driver, a sentiment O’Ward echoed, recognizing his competitor’s exceptional performance.
As the series approaches its final three races, O’Ward’s team reflects on a successful month, which included two wins and multiple top-five finishes, yet the road to the championship remains steep.
