Palou Qualifies Fastest Amidst Power’s Fury

Alex Palou, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, secured the fastest qualifying time at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. However, a heated exchange with Team Penske’s Will Power overshadowed the achievement.

Power’s Ire

During morning practice, Power felt disrespected by the defending series champion, Palou. The two-time series champion expressed his anger using expletives, also pointing a finger at the Spanish driver.

Power also blamed Palou’s strategist, Barry Wanser, for allegedly directing Palou into his path. He was frustrated that Palou didn’t yield to his No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet.

“I went out on new tires, and he came out a lap later in front of me and then stayed there,” Power told FS1. “(He) then spent four laps just going slow, so I had to keep backing up, backing up, backing up, which was frustrating.

According to Power, after a pit stop and change, Palou exited the pits directly in front of him again, impeding his progress.

“Then, I came in (to the pits), made a change, went out, (was) on a money lap (and CGR) sent him out of the pits again right in front of me – and he didn’t move. He just kept going, and I had to back off again.”

Palou’s Perspective

Palou anticipated Power’s confrontation on pit lane. “Yeah, I knew, I knew,” Palou said, acknowledging the widespread complaints about traffic during practice.

“Look, I think if you look at (either) practice, everybody is complaining about traffic, and we’re all angry that we don’t get clear laps. But maybe he thought we did something personal to him. For sure, that was not the intention,” Palou stated.

He added, “I don’t know if you saw, but I was always like a second or two seconds in front of him. He was just having to back off. I never tried to defend or anything. I think he was just a little upset, and that’s OK.

“But, yeah, I knew what he was coming (to discuss) – I just didn’t want to start to get into an argument. Yeah, it happens. It wasn’t my first time with him, so it’s good.”

Penske Drivers Struggle in Qualifying

Qualifying worsened for Power, as he and Team Penske teammates Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin failed to advance past Round 1. As a result, Newgarden will start 18th, while McLaughlin and Power will begin in 21st and 22nd positions, respectively.

McLaughlin cited traffic as the reason for his slower qualifying lap. Notably, all three Penske drivers have previously won races at Mid-Ohio.

Indeed, unexpected traffic or on-track incidents can significantly impact qualifying times; for example, a recent Formula 1 qualifying session saw multiple drivers impeded, leading to grid penalties (Formula1.com).

Turn 4: A Potential Hotspot

The first corner, Turn 4, presents a challenge at the start. Cars typically go two-wide, creating potential for trouble, especially for those on the left.

The track has been modified since last year, with a flatter surface to mitigate the drop-off into the gravel trap. A bump at a popular braking point, seemingly more prominent on the left side, caused issues for several drivers, including McLaughlin.

Pit Strategy Changes

Since 2019, this marks the first INDYCAR SERIES race at Mid-Ohio to be 90 laps long. This change from 80 laps is expected to alter pit strategies.

The previous 80-lap races typically involved a conservative two-stop strategy. The additional 10 laps will likely necessitate three stops, allowing for more strategic flexibility.

Fuel is projected to last 26 to 28 laps. Some teams may choose to pit early to gain track position in case of an early caution.

Odds and Ends

• McLaughlin, Power, and Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward each won three series races last year but are winless this year. Scott Dixon, Newgarden, and Colton Herta each secured two wins last year. Palou (six wins) and Kyle Kirkwood (three wins) are the only winners this season through nine races.
• Kirkwood, despite qualifying seventh, felt impacted by traffic. However, having two sets of new Firestone Firehawk alternate tires for the race gives him an advantage.
• Santino Ferrucci has consistently performed well, securing fifth, second, fifth, and third place finishes in the last four races. He qualified 17th for the race.
• Marcus Ericsson experienced a challenging season. His car impacted the barrier at Turn 14 during practice. He qualified in the 11th position.
• Christian Rasmussen qualified 10th but will start six positions back due to an engine change after the Iowa Speedway test.