2025 The Thermal Club INDYCAR Grand Prix

Palou Executes Perfect Strategy to Win at Thermal

For the second time in as many races, Alex Palou is a race winner in 2025. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver outmaneuvered Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward late in Sunday's The Thermal Club INDYCAR Grand Prix, capturing his 13th career victory and extending his perfect start to the season.

Palou took the lead for good on Lap 56, using a decisive tire strategy and clean execution across a three-stop race to pull away to a commanding 10.1854-second margin of victory — his largest since winning by over 30 seconds at Laguna Seca in 2022.

"We had the right tire at the right time," Palou said. "This one was about playing the long game, and the team nailed it."

Tire Strategy Defines the Outcome

With no cautions over 65 laps, the race played out as a test of timing and tire discipline. Every driver inside the top 18 followed a three-stop strategy, resulting in four stints under green-flag conditions. The final tire choice proved decisive.

Palou opened on used alternate tires, transitioned through two stints on primaries, and saved a fresh set of sticker alternates for the final push. O'Ward, by contrast, opened on fresh alternates but ran three consecutive stints on primary tires to the finish.

Palou closed a 10-second gap in the final stint and passed O'Ward with an aggressive move into Turn 7 on Lap 56. Over the final 10 laps, the No. 10 Honda steadily pulled away as O'Ward faded on worn tires.

O'Ward, Lundgaard Round Out the Podium

After leading 51 of 65 laps, O'Ward was forced to settle for second. He controlled the pace through the first two stints and looked poised to earn his first win of 2025, having won three times last season—including at St. Petersburg, Mid-Ohio and Milwaukee Race 1.

"It's frustrating," O'Ward said. "We had a good car and managed the race well, but Alex just had more tire left."

Christian Lundgaard, who started second, finished third to earn his first podium of the year. Though not quite the result he had hoped for after a strong qualifying performance, the run capped a clean and consistent weekend for the Arrow McLaren driver.

Calm Execution Behind the Leaders

The caution-free nature of the race emphasized pit execution and outright pace. Among the biggest movers:

• Will Power gained 15 positions from 21st to sixth, Team Penske's best finish of the day.
• Felix Rosenqvist ran consistently in the top five and delivered fifth for Meyer Shank Racing.
• Marcus Armstrong, Kyle Kirkwood, and Alexander Rossi all logged top-10 finishes on consistent three-stop strategies.
• Scott Dixon, the runner-up in St. Petersburg, rounded out the top 10.

Statistical Notes

• Palou is the first driver since Dixon in 2020 to open a season with back-to-back wins.
• Chip Ganassi Racing has now won the first points-paying race at each of the last three venues to debut on the NTT IndyCar Series calendar: Nashville (2021), Detroit (2023), and now Thermal (2025).
• Scott McLaughlin was the only retirement of the race, officially classified 27th after completing 53 laps.
• The average race speed was 102.771 mph, with 26 cars running at the finish in a fully green-flag event.

Looking Ahead

The NTT IndyCar Series now turns to the streets of Long Beach for its third round — another temporary circuit following the season opener at St. Petersburg. With Palou building a commanding early lead in the standings, contenders like Arrow McLaren, Penske and Andretti Global will be looking to close the gap.

For now, though, Palou and Ganassi continue to set the standard.

Championship Standings (Top 10)

1. Alex Palou – 102
2. Pato O'Ward – 63 (-39)
3. Scott Dixon – 61 (-41)
4. Christian Lundgaard – 60 (-42)
5. Felix Rosenqvist – 56 (-46)
6. Kyle Kirkwood – 54 (-48)
7. Josef Newgarden – 53 (-49)
8. Colton Herta – 47 (-55)
9. Alexander Rossi – 43 (-59)
10. Scott McLaughlin – 41 (-61)
    

Race Day at Thermal: Palou Quickest in Warm-Up, But Arrow McLaren Leads the Charge

Final preparations are complete at The Thermal Club as the NTT INDYCAR Series gears up for its second race of the 2025 season. Sunday morning's warm-up offered one last read on race pace before the green flag — and Alex Palou once again reminded the field of his presence at the front.

The Chip Ganassi Racing driver clocked a best lap of 1:40.3667, the fastest of the 25-minute session run under crisp, calm conditions. With ambient temperatures at 67 degrees and track temperature at 70.5 degrees, grip levels were noticeably different from Friday and Saturday's hotter sessions — conditions unlikely to replicate in the race itself, but still informative for systems checks and tire evaluation.

Palou's pace bookends a consistent weekend in which he topped Practice 1 and led two rounds of qualifying before settling for third on the provisional grid. Teammate Scott Dixon also featured near the top in warm-up, running second overall, suggesting Ganassi has both speed and depth entering the race.

But the clear headline entering the 65-lap event remains Arrow McLaren's front-row lockout, led by pole-sitter Pato O'Ward and Christian Lundgaard in second. Both drivers ran further down the order in warm-up — O'Ward 19th and Lundgaard 14th — but with tire strategies and fuel loads varying widely, the team is expected to be firmly in the mix once racing begins.

Other notable warm-up performances came from Josef Newgarden, who was third fastest and gave Team Penske its most encouraging session of the weekend, and Graham Rahal, who was fourth in a strong showing for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Callum Ilott rounded out the top five in a quietly efficient session for Juncos Hollinger Racing.

Key Themes Heading Into the Race

1. Track Evolution & Tire Management: With rising track temps expected during the race, managing degradation across Firestone's primary and alternate compounds will be critical.
2. Hybrid Deployment Strategy: Thermal's long straights and technical corners offer a wide range of deployment opportunities. Teams who balance energy recovery and usage effectively could find time over a stint.
3. Clean Air vs. Traffic: Overtaking may prove difficult depending on tire drop-off, putting a premium on track position and undercut potential during pit stop cycles.
4. Eyes on the Front Row: O'Ward and Lundgaard have the cleanest path at lights-out, but both will be challenged early by Palou, Colton Herta (fourth), and Marcus Ericsson (fifth) in what promises to be a tightly contested opening phase.

With no major incidents in the warm-up and all 27 entries set for the start, the stage is now fully set for INDYCAR's first points-paying race at The Thermal Club.

O’Ward Claims First Pole in Nearly Three Years as Field Sets Provisional Grid at Thermal

Pato O’Ward captured his first NTT P1 Award since 2022 with a strong lap late in Saturday’s Firestone Fast Six, earning provisional pole position for Sunday’s Thermal Club INDYCAR Grand Prix. The Arrow McLaren driver clocked a best lap of 1:39.9567 around the 3.067-mile road course to lead an intensely competitive qualifying session under warm desert skies.

Though the official starting lineup won’t be finalized until after Sunday morning’s warm-up, O’Ward’s return to the top spot in qualifying puts him in prime position to challenge for his first win of the 2025 season.

Round 1: Penalties and Margins

Under fair skies and an ambient temperature of 83 degrees, the opening segments of qualifying were shaped by incidents and track management.

In Group 1, early drama struck Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin, who spun on his own and was issued a drive-through penalty for causing a local yellow in violation of Rule 8.3.7.3. Later in the session, Rinus VeeKay (Dale Coyne Racing) and Kyle Kirkwood (Andretti Global) had an incident Turn 14, prompting a Steward’s review, though no further action was taken. Advancing from the group were Alex Palou (Chip Ganassi Racing), Felix Rosenqvist (Meyer Shank Racing), Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing), Marcus Armstrong (Meyer Shank Racing), David Malukas (A.J. Foyt Racing), and Kirkwood.

Group 2 ran cleanly aside from a pit lane speeding violation by Robert Shwartzman (PREMA Racing), who received a drive-through penalty. Topping the session was Christian Lundgaard (Arrow McLaren) with a 1:39.9613, followed by Colton Herta (Andretti Global), O’Ward, Alexander Rossi (Ed Carpenter Racing), Louis Foster (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing), and Marcus Ericsson (Andretti Global).

Drivers who did not advance were provisionally slotted into positions 13 through 27, with Group 1 drivers assigned odd-numbered spots and Group 2 drivers filling even-numbered ones based on lap time.

Round 2: Close Calls and Consistency

The top 12 from Round 1 faced off in the second segment. A potential qualifying interference incident involving Palou and O’Ward was reviewed by Race Control, but no further action was taken. Palou once again led the session with a 1:39.6518, just ahead of O’Ward and Lundgaard. Also advancing were Ericsson, Rossi, and Herta.

Missing the cut for the Firestone Fast Six were Armstrong, Kirkwood, Rosenqvist, Foster, Dixon, and Malukas—all within roughly one second of the session leader.

Firestone Fast Six: O’Ward Delivers Late

With six minutes of guaranteed green-flag time, the Firestone Fast Six session came down to execution. O’Ward timed his run well and delivered his pole-winning 1:39.9567 after the halfway point of the session. It marked his first pole since Mid-Ohio in 2022 and gave Arrow McLaren its first pole of the season.

Lundgaard continued his strong form with a front-row effort, just 0.1678 seconds off the top spot. Palou, who led both Round 1 and Round 2 sessions, settled for third, followed by Herta, Ericsson, and Rossi.

Provisional Starting Grid – Top Six

1. Pato O’Ward – Arrow McLaren Chevrolet – 1:39.9567
2. Christian Lundgaard – Arrow McLaren Chevrolet – 1:40.1245
3. Alex Palou – Chip Ganassi Racing Honda – 1:40.3092
4. Colton Herta – Andretti Global Honda – 1:40.3978
5. Marcus Ericsson – Andretti Global Honda – 1:40.7435
6. Alexander Rossi – Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet – 1:41.0359

Looking Ahead

With 13 drivers within one second of the pole time in Round 2 and a track temperature hovering at 118 degrees, Sunday’s 65-lap race is expected to test tire management, hybrid deployment strategy, and pit lane precision. Final grid confirmation will follow the morning warm-up session.

For O’Ward, the challenge now becomes converting pole into victory. But with Palou, Lundgaard, Herta, and others all showing top-tier pace, the battle at the front promises to be fierce in Thermal.

Lundgaard Tops Practice 2 at Thermal as INDYCAR Field Tightens Ahead of Qualifying

Christian Lundgaard surged to the top of the charts during Saturday morning’s Practice 2 at The Thermal Club, leading a tightly packed field with a best lap of 1:40.6421. The Arrow McLaren driver set the time while running on alternate Firestone tires, underlining his pace as teams begin fine-tuning their qualifying setups on the 3.067-mile natural terrain road course.

Lundgaard’s effort was the fastest of the session and now ranks third overall across the two practice days, just fractions behind Friday’s leaders. Championship leader Alex Palou, who topped Practice 1, was second quickest on the day at 1:41.1247, followed by Marcus Ericsson at 1:41.2831.

Clean Session, with Shwartzman Set to Return

Unlike the segmented format of Practice 1, Saturday’s session ran as a single block with 45 minutes of green-flag time and no red flags. Only 26 of 27 cars took part, but Robert Shwartzman (PREMA Racing) is expected to rejoin the field for qualifying. After his Practice 1 incident sidelined his primary car, PREMA rolled out a backup chassis late in the session, signaling the rookie will be ready for the afternoon.

The only notable infraction came post-session when Scott McLaughlin (Team Penske) was issued a monetary fine for violating Rule 7.11.1.2—leaving the pit lane with a brake cooling fan still attached to his No. 3 Chevrolet.

Palou Stays Near the Top as Gaps Narrow

Palou remains the fastest overall from Friday with a 1:40.5486, and the Chip Ganassi Racing driver has demonstrated consistency across both sessions. The 2023 exhibition winner and current points leader has been inside the top two in both outings, reinforcing his early dominance at Thermal.

But the margin is shrinking. Lundgaard’s session-leading lap was only 0.0935 seconds shy of Palou’s benchmark, while Kyle Kirkwood (Andretti Global) still sits second overall with a 1:40.6387 from Friday. With limited grip evolution, outright lap times stayed relatively stable—but several teams found incremental gains.

Notable Performers and Patterns

Rinus VeeKay and Devlin DeFrancesco both broke into the top 10 in Practice 2, rebounding from more modest Friday showings. Marcus Armstrong (Meyer Shank Racing) continued his upward trend with the fourth-fastest time of the session, while McLaughlin and Pato O’Ward remained securely inside the top 10 on combined charts.

Colton Herta, fastest in Group 1 on Friday and fourth overall after Practice 1, ended Practice 2 in seventh with a lap of 1:41.6487. Rookie Louis Foster continued his consistent form and looks poised to challenge for a solid qualifying result.

Further down the order, seasoned drivers including Josef Newgarden, Alexander Rossi and Graham Rahal all ran within a second and a half of the leader—highlighting just how compressed the field remains.

Qualifying Ahead

With less than one second covering the top nine on combined times, Saturday afternoon’s three-round knockout qualifying session will be a high-stakes affair. Track position could prove critical on race day, and teams must now weigh tire usage and hybrid energy strategies carefully as they shift focus from preparation to execution.

Alex Palou Leads Thermal Practice 1 as Track Debuts in Points-Paying INDYCAR Competition

Championship leader Alex Palou picked up where he left off in St. Petersburg, setting the fastest time in Friday’s split-segment Practice 1 session at The Thermal Club, the NTT IndyCar Series’ newest venue to host a points-paying round.

Palou, driving the No. 10 DHL Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing, topped the leaderboard with a best lap of 1:40.5486 during the Group 2 segment of the afternoon session. The reigning series champion, who won both the season opener and last year’s exhibition at Thermal, continues to show formidable pace in the California desert.

The 90-minute session was broken into three parts: an initial 45-minute all-cars run, followed by two 10-minute segments split by group. Rookies were permitted to run in both group sessions.

A Warm Welcome Back to Thermal

Friday’s practice opened under sunny skies and rising temperatures—86 degrees ambient with a track temperature of 116.2°F, per Firestone engineers. Early running was interrupted just past the 20-minute mark when rookie Robert Shwartzman (PREMA Racing) stopped on course in Turn 6, triggering the session’s only red flag during the all-cars portion. Shwartzman did not set a time and received a five-minute penalty for causing the stoppage.

When action resumed, the session saw steady improvements across the board. Kyle Kirkwood (Andretti Global) ended the all-cars portion quickest at 1:41.8709, but that time would ultimately be surpassed in the group segments that followed.

Final Segment Shakes Up Order

Group 1 took to the track first, with Colton Herta leading the way with a lap of 1:40.8439, giving the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda strong early form. However, a late red flag caused by Devlin DeFrancesco (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing) going off in Turn 1 limited final attempts. INDYCAR gave teams a brief green-flag window afterward, allowing several drivers one last flyer.

In Group 2, Palou wasted no time establishing the benchmark. He was followed closely by Kirkwood, who backed up his earlier pace with a 1:40.6387, and Marcus Ericsson (Andretti Global) at 1:40.7370.

Two drive-through penalties were issued in this session: Ericsson and Palou were penalized for leaving pit lane before the green flag during Group 2.

Tight Competition Behind the Leader

Just behind the leading trio, Christian Rasmussen (Ed Carpenter Racing) posted the fourth-fastest time overall, continuing a solid start to his sophomore IndyCar campaign. Louis Foster (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing) was the quickest rookie in eighth overall.

Meanwhile, Scott McLaughlin and Felix Rosenqvist, who finished second and third behind Palou in last year’s Thermal exhibition race, were both inside the top ten and showed comfort with the circuit layout once again.

Despite his speed in the morning, Kirkwood was ultimately bumped to second on the overall charts. But the pace shown by multiple Andretti entries, including Herta and Ericsson, sets up a promising outlook for the team heading into Saturday.

Looking Ahead

Practice 2 is scheduled for Saturday morning, followed by knockout-style qualifying in the afternoon. With Palou again setting the benchmark and key challengers closely matched, the stage is set for a compelling weekend at Thermal—this time, with championship implications.