2025 Sonsio Grand Prix

Palou Dominates Sonsio Grand Prix for Third Straight IMS Road Course Win

Alex Palou continued his dominant run in the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series, winning the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday for his third consecutive victory on the IMS road course and fourth win in the first five races of the season. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver extended his championship lead to 97 points, solidifying his status as the early title favorite .

Pre-Race and Start Issues

The 85-lap, 207.3-mile race began under mostly cloudy skies with an ambient temperature of 79 degrees and a track temperature of 111 degrees. As the field prepared to take the green flag, Josef Newgarden's No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet experienced radio issues, forcing him to drop to the rear for the start. Meanwhile, Kyffin Simpson's crew scrambled to resolve a gearbox issue, preventing the No. 8 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda from joining the field for the start, resulting in a last-place finish after never taking the green flag .

Rahal Jumps to Early Lead

Polesitter Palou led the field to green on Lap 2 after the initial start was waved off, but Graham Rahal wasted no time asserting himself, passing Palou in Turn 1 to lead the opening lap. Rahal quickly built a gap, stretching his lead to over three seconds by Lap 15 as Palou settled into second, managing tire wear and strategy .

Pit Strategy and Lead Changes

The first cycle of pit stops began on Lap 15, with Ferrucci and Kirkwood diving into the pits. By Lap 25, the field had cycled through their first stops, and Rahal reclaimed the lead with Palou less than a second behind. The duo remained locked in a tight battle, with Rahal leading through the second round of stops despite a brief stint at the front for Marcus Armstrong, who led for six laps before Rahal reclaimed the top spot on Lap 46 .

Decisive Move for the Lead

Palou finally seized control of the race on Lap 58, executing a clean pass on Rahal in Turn 7 to retake the lead. The decisive maneuver marked the seventh and final lead change of the race, as Palou quickly pulled away, building a gap of over four seconds by Lap 60 and extending it to nearly 8.5 seconds by Lap 66 as the final pit cycle concluded .

Late Caution and Restart Drama

With 15 laps remaining, the complexion of the race briefly changed when David Malukas stopped off course in Turn 10, bringing out the only full-course caution of the day. The field bunched up for a single-file restart on Lap 72, but Palou quickly reasserted his dominance, pulling away from second-place Pato O'Ward and comfortably managing his advantage through the closing laps .

Final Standings and Notable Performances

Palou crossed the line 5.6142 seconds ahead of O'Ward, who charged from eighth on the grid to secure his second runner-up finish of the season. Will Power completed the podium, securing his first top-three finish of the year despite describing his day as "uneventful" in the post-race press conference .

• Palou's Key Stats: Fourth win in five races, third consecutive IMS road course victory, and 97-point championship lead.
• Rahal's Rollercoaster Day: After leading a race-high 49 laps, Rahal faded to sixth in the final order, struggling with tire wear in the closing stages.
• Armstrong Impresses Again: Marcus Armstrong finished seventh, tying best result of the season, after briefly leading during the pit cycle.
• Biggest Mover: Rinus VeeKay gained 15 positions, climbing from 24th to finish ninth, earning the race's "Most Improved" honor.

Post-Race Reactions

Reflecting on his dominant form, Palou said, "It's amazing. I know I'm with the best team out here, and they give me the best tools to fight for races every single weekend, and it feels sweet."

Meanwhile, O'Ward praised his crew's recovery from a challenging qualifying session, while Power acknowledged the competitive nature of the modern IndyCar field, saying, "It's incredibly tough just to win a race in INDYCAR now."

With the 2025 Indianapolis 500 just two weeks away, Palou's remarkable early-season form has made him the clear championship leader, though he admits the Brickyard's oval remains an entirely different challenge.

Newgarden Leads Warm-Up as Teams Make Final Preparations for Sonsio Grand Prix

Josef Newgarden paced the final warm-up session for the 2025 Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, posting a best lap of 1:10.5606 in his No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet. The 25-minute session, which began at 11:32 a.m. under sunny skies, provided teams one last opportunity to dial in their setups before the 85-lap race this afternoon.

Session Highlights and Incidents

• The session was briefly halted at 11:35 a.m. for a track inspection after Santino Ferrucci's No. 14 A.J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet entered pit lane trailing heavy smoke. Ferrucci did not set a timed lap after this issue, and the session resumed at 11:42 a.m.
• Jacob Abel also failed to record a timed lap during the session, potentially indicating mechanical issues or strategic conservation ahead of the race.

Top Performers

Behind Newgarden, Christian Lundgaard posted the second-fastest time at 1:10.6477, followed by Scott Dixon at 1:10.8647. Alex Palou, who will start from pole, set the fourth-quickest time at 1:10.9731, while rookie Kyffin Simpson rounded out the top five with a 1:11.0010.

Notable Efforts and Combined Practice Review

Despite his morning troubles, Ferrucci still ranks sixth in the combined practice results with his best lap from Practice 1 (1:10.1545), while Newgarden's warm-up pace moved him into the top 20 in the overall standings. Abel, who also missed the warm-up, remains further down the combined charts, reflecting a challenging weekend for the rookie.

With warm-up complete, teams will now shift their focus to race strategy and tire selection for the afternoon's main event, where track position and efficient pit stops will be critical on the 2.439-mile road course.

Palou Claims Pole in Competitive Sonsio Grand Prix Qualifying at IMS

Alex Palou captured his second pole of the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series season and the eighth of his career with a stunning 1:09.3417 lap in the Firestone Fast Six, securing the top starting spot for Saturday's Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This marks Palou's second consecutive pole on the IMS road course, following his NTT P1 Award at this venue in 2024.

Round 1: Early Elimination Drama

Qualifying opened under sunny skies with ambient temperatures at 68 degrees and a track temperature of 112.6 degrees. In the first round, each group had 10 minutes to set a time, with the fastest six from each group advancing to the second segment.

In Group 1, Pato O'Ward led the way with a 1:09.7902 lap in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, closely followed by Alexander Rossi, Felix Rosenqvist, Santino Ferrucci, Louis Foster and Kyffin Simpson. Notably, this group featured a tight mid-pack battle, with Colton Herta and Marcus Armstrong just missing the cutoff.

Group 2 saw Palou set the fastest time of the opening segment with a 1:09.6683 in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, edging out Devlin DeFrancesco, Will Power, Graham Rahal, Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden. Despite strong efforts, Christian Lundgaard, Scott Dixon and Marcus Ericsson were among those eliminated in this round.

Round 2: Field Narrows to Six

With 12 drivers advancing to Segment 2, the intensity ramped up as positions in the Firestone Fast Six were on the line. Palou again set the pace with a 1:09.7025, narrowly besting Rahal, who clocked a 1:09.7498 for the second spot. Foster continued his impressive form with a 1:09.8247 to claim third, followed by DeFrancesco, Newgarden and McLaughlin. Will Power missed out on the Fast Six by just 0.0199 seconds, slotting into seventh overall.

Firestone Fast Six: Palou Shines Under Pressure

The final six-minute shootout saw Palou deliver his best lap of the day, a 1:09.3417, to secure the NTT P1 Award with a margin of 0.4099 seconds over Rahal. Foster continued his impressive rookie season by qualifying third, just 0.5384 seconds off Palou's benchmark. McLaughlin and DeFrancesco completed the second row, with Newgarden rounding out the top six.

Qualifying Highlights and Notable Performances

• Palou's pole is his second of 2025 and the eighth of his career. He has now claimed back-to-back poles at the IMS road course.
• Graham Rahal delivered his best qualifying result of the season, putting his No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda second.
• For the first time ever, all three Rahal Letterman Lanigan entries reached the Firestone Fast Six, highlighting a significant performance step for the team.
• Rookie Louis Foster secured his best career starting position with a third-place effort in his No. 45 Honda, underscoring his rapid adaptation to the series.
• Josef Newgarden, the final driver to make the Fast Six, ended the day sixth despite a strong early pace.

With Palou on pole, the field is set for a thrilling 85-lap battle on Saturday, where strategy and tire management will be critical on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course.

Rahal Tops Practice 2 at IMS, Mixed Tire Strategies Shape the Leaderboard

Graham Rahal emerged as the fastest driver in the second practice session for the 2025 Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, setting a best lap of 1:09.7242 on the soft red alternate tires. The session, which began at 1:10 p.m. under sunny skies and a track temperature of 103.5 degrees, ran smoothly with no interruptions, concluding with the checkered flag at 1:46 p.m.

Tire Choices Make the Difference

Rahal's impressive lap, recorded on the faster alternate tires, set him apart from most of the field. Notably, of the top 10 lap times in Practice 2, only Alex Palou and Kyffin Simpson were on the harder black primary tires, while the remaining top performers utilized the quicker red alternates. This distinction could hint at divergent setup strategies heading into qualifying .

Promising Day for Rookies

Louis Foster continued his strong showing from Practice 1, placing second with a lap of 1:09.8626, just 0.1384 seconds behind Rahal. Foster's consistent speed throughout both sessions indicates that he could be a dark horse in qualifying. Meanwhile, Sting Ray Robb also made significant gains, recording the fourth-fastest lap of 1:10.1657 .

Palou Remains Consistent

Although Palou topped the morning session, his best lap in Practice 2 was a more conservative 1:10.2943, placing him seventh in the second practice but still third overall in the combined times. Running the primary tires when many competitors opted for the alternates may suggest that the Chip Ganassi Racing driver was focusing more on race pace than outright speed .

Notable Performances and Challenges

Devlin DeFrancesco delivered a strong lap of 1:10.0690 to finish third in Practice 2, showcasing improved pace from the morning. Alexander Rossi also remained competitive, posting a 1:10.2025 to secure sixth place .

Rookie Robert Shwartzman faced difficulties throughout the day, failing to set a time in Practice 2 after struggling significantly in the earlier session, where he was over eight seconds off the pace .

Combined Practice Results

In the combined standings of both practice sessions, Rahal's lap from Practice 2 remains the fastest, followed by Foster and Palou. Kyffin Simpson, another strong performer, holds fourth place overall. DeFrancesco's improved pace in Practice 2 moves him to fifth in the combined times .

Looking Ahead to Qualifying

With the mixed tire strategies observed, it will be intriguing to see whether teams prioritize one-lap speed or race consistency when selecting tires for qualifying. Rahal's strong form on the alternates positions him as a key contender for the NTT P1 Award, while Palou's steady approach on the primary tires may signal confidence in long-run pace.

The action continues later today with knockout qualifying, where teams will have to make critical decisions regarding tire choices and setup.

Palou Leads Practice 1 for Sonsio Grand Prix Amid Eventful Morning at IMS

The opening practice session for the 2025 Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway began under sunny skies and crisp conditions, with ambient temperatures at 50 degrees and a track temperature of 70 degrees according to Firestone engineers. The 40-minute session started at 9:30 a.m., giving all 27 cars a chance to dial in their setups on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course.

Session Highlights and Incidents

The first major interruption came at 10:02 a.m. when Rinus VeeKay brought out a red flag after his No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda stopped on the backstretch. The AMR INDYCAR Safety Team responded quickly, but the stoppage lasted four minutes, resuming at 10:06 a.m. VeeKay was subsequently assessed a five-minute time penalty for causing the delay, a costly setback in the short morning window.

At the conclusion of the all-cars portion of Practice 1, Alex Palou topped the timing charts with a lap of 1:09.9850 in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, the only driver to break the 1:10 barrier at that stage .

Split Group Format Adds Drama

At 10:18 a.m., the track opened to Group 1 cars and rookies for a 12-minute segment. The session was quickly halted again when Marcus Armstrong's No. 66 Meyer Shank Racing Honda came to a stop at pit in, bringing out a second red flag at 10:19 a.m. Armstrong received a five-minute time penalty for his part in the disruption. The group resumed at 10:26 a.m., and when the checkered flag fell, Palou remained the fastest with a slightly improved 1:09.9790.

Group 2 took the track at 10:40 a.m. for another 12-minute stint, this time running without interruption. Alexander Rossi posted the quickest lap in this phase, clocking a 1:10.3228 in the No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet to place ninth overall in the combined standings .

Final Standings and Notable Performances

Palou's benchmark of 1:09.9790 stood as the overall best, followed closely by Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Kyffin Simpson, who turned a 1:10.0677 in the No. 8 Honda, just 0.0887 seconds adrift. Rookie Louis Foster also impressed, setting the third-fastest time with a 1:10.1235 in the No. 45 Andretti Global Honda .

Meanwhile, Armstrong, despite his early setback, managed a 1:10.7457, placing 19th overall, while VeeKay, limited by his red-flag penalty, ended the session in 26th with a 1:11.0528 .

The teams will now shift their focus to the afternoon's second practice session, where they'll continue refining their setups ahead of Friday's crucial knockout qualifying.