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Alex Palou Conquers Heat to Secure His Second Indy 500 Pole
Highlights
- Alex Palou earned second career pole for Indianapolis 500.
- Palou’s four-lap average speed: 232.248 mph in Firestone Fast Six.
- Alexander Rossi qualified second, David Malukas secured third on front row.
- Six different teams occupy first two rows, showing field competitiveness.
- Sunday qualifying faced high temperatures after rain disruption Saturday.
- Indianapolis 500 race scheduled for Sunday, May 24 at 10 a.m. ET.
Alex Palou takes his second Indianapolis 500 pole with a 232.248 mph four-lap average, mastering a heat-affected Firestone Fast Six at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday.
The Chip Ganassi Racing driver claims the NTT P1 Award and $100,000 in the No. 10 DHL Honda, becoming the first reigning Indy 500 winner to start from pole since Helio Castroneves in 2010.
Palou’s 232.248 mph four-lap average secures the NTT P1 Award and a $100,000 bonus.
Alexander Rossi lines up second for Ed Carpenter Racing with 231.990 mph, his best Indy 500 start in 11 attempts. David Malukas completes the front row for Team Penske at 231.877 mph.
Felix Rosenqvist leads the second row for Meyer Shank Racing at 231.375 mph. Santino Ferrucci is fifth for A.J. Foyt at 230.846 mph, with Pato O’Ward sixth for Arrow McLaren at 230.442 mph.
Six different teams occupy the first two rows, underlining a finely balanced competitive order.
Rain on Saturday condensed running into a high-pressure Sunday. Each round allowed only one attempt per driver, amplifying execution risk in hotter afternoon conditions.
Palou initially scraped through 11th in Round 1 at 231.155 mph after a late draw left him in the day’s peak heat. Ganassi trimmed the car effectively, lifting him to second in the Top 12.
Palou is the first reigning Indy 500 winner to start from pole since Helio Castroneves in 2010.
He then converted decisively in the Fast Six, calling the result “incredible” and crediting the team’s ability to tune for the toughest track temperatures.
Rosenqvist, quick earlier, voiced frustration at missing the final step, describing a recurring “curse.” The pattern emphasizes how narrow the margins are over four trimmed-out laps.
The manufacturer picture is balanced. Honda holds pole with Ganassi and fourth with Meyer Shank, while Chevrolet populates the rest with ECR, Penske, Foyt, and Arrow McLaren.
Practice resumes Monday as teams pivot to race trim. The 110th Indianapolis 500 starts Sunday, May 24 at 10 a.m. ET, with Palou the benchmark heading into race week.
Visual Summary
232.2 mph
Fastest Pole
Since 2010
Since 2010
Alex Palou is on POLE for the 110th Indy 500!
Reigning champ Palou blasts to pole with 232.248 mph average, shocking even his own team – and every rival.
#GanassiRocket 🚀
1
A
Palou
232.2
2
R
Rossi
231.9
3
M
Malukas
231.8
4
Ro
Rosenqvist
231.4
5
F
Ferrucci
230.8
6
O
O’Ward
230.4
6 teams. 6 contenders. Blistering speed, unexpected drama.
Unpredictable. Unstoppable.
Rain delays ignited a one-shot pressure-cooker. Palou delivered a stunner—just sneaking into the Top 12, then unleashing the record lap when heat was on.
Only 1 shot per driver
The Month of May is ON.
Practice continues.
All eyes on May 24.
Can Palou defend the crown from the front?
Practice continues.
All eyes on May 24.
Can Palou defend the crown from the front?
🏁
Brian Thompson focuses on IndyCar Series news, from qualifying speeds at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to street-course race strategy. He delivers concise feature stories and technical breakdowns on chassis setups, tire choices, and championship standings for open-wheel enthusiasts.
