Pato O’Ward, pictured during the 2024 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, captured a timely pole position for Sunday’s Thermal Grand Prix. (Photo: Wayne Riegle | The Podium Finish)
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The last time that Pato O’Ward scored an NTT IndyCar Series pole position was three years ago at the 2022 Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
O’Ward put the pole drought in the rearview mirror and delivers his first pole position of the young 2025 IndyCar season, at the exclusive Thermal Club in his No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet with a time of 1:39.9567.
SEE: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Race Results | Official Site of INDYCAR
“I knew if we could get the car to my liking, I would get it done,” O’Ward told FS1. “I got to thank the guys. We’ve been working hard coming back here, we haven’t had the best of weekends in the past, but we turned it around. We dialed it in after Q1 because I was somewhat happy with it but not perfect. Made a little adjustment and as soon as we went out in Q2 I said — I’ve got this.”
O’Ward beat out his new and talented Arrow McLaren teammate Christian Lundgaard, in his No. 7 Velo Arrow McLaren Chevrolet with a time of 1:40.1245, completing the all-Arrow McLaren front row sweep for the first time in team history.
Lundgaard showed early pace by leading practice 2 earlier in the afternoon. This was Lundgaard’s best starting position since last May when he qualified second for the Sonsio Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.
“We had the pace all weekend, and we didn’t quite get to show it in Practice 1,” Lundgaard said. “I certainly think we showed it earlier today. It’s just important to be there when it counts, and we were today. Let’s keep that momentum going forward.”
The early favorite for capturing the pole was two-time defending and three-time series champion Alex Palou in his No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Palou had a strong start to the Thermal Grand Prix weekend with finishing first and second in the two practice sessions on Friday and Saturday afternoon. He showed quick pace in the opening round of qualifying, posting a lap of 1:39.6518 that would advance him to the Fast 12 round.
Palou’s early speed wouldn’t shine in the Fast 6, where he posted a time of 1:40.3092 good enough for the third starting spot.
Colton Herta came in the fourth position with a lap of 1:40.3978 in his No. 26 Gainbridge Honda, and was the highest of two Andretti Global cars, beating out his teammate Marcus Ericsson who came home in the fifth position with a lap of 1:40.7435 in his No. 28 Bryant Honda.
Alexander Rossi continues his solid start in his new home at Ed Carpenter Racing for 2025, rounded out the Fast 6 with a lap of 1:41.0359 in his No. 20 Java House Chevrolet.
One team that has endured a weekend to forget thus far are the three drivers of Team Penske. Scott McLaughlin in the No. 3 Xpel Chevrolet started his qualifying session by spinning 360-degrees on his warm-up lap and had to serve a drive-through penalty for bringing out the yellow during the session. McLaughlin was unable to rebound and posted a lap of 1:41.5133, only good for the twenty-fifth starting position.
Meanwhile, 2018 Indianapolis 500 champion and two-time series champion Will Power had a lackluster qualifying session by only posting a lap of 1:40.9750 in his No. 12 Verizon Business Chevrolet, good enough for the twenty-first position. Two-time and defending Indianapolis 500 champion Josef Newgarden showed a lack of pace all weekend in both practice sessions, was only able to get to the seventeenth starting position with a time of 1:40.6956.
“We just weren’t quick,” Newgarden told FS1. “All of us didn’t look fantastic in our group. I think if you’re saying you need three or four tenths, I think we could’ve put that together on the red tire. I felt really good going into qualifying, I thought our car was in a good window. Obviously, we’re going to have to find some speed for tomorrow.”
The last time all three Team Penske drivers failed to move past the first round of qualifying was 2021 at Portland.
Action for the IndyCar Thermal Grand Prix at The Thermal Club will take place on Sunday, Mar. 23 at 3:00 p.m. ET on FOX and IndyCar Radio on SiriusXM.
