Full IndyCar starting order for Sonsio GP as Alex Palou takes pole

IndyCar Championship leader Alex Palou took the pole position at the Sonsio GP at the IMS Road Course with a laptime of 1:09:341. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver continued his dominant run following the win at Barber Motorsports Park last time around.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing had an impressive session with all 3 cars in the Fastest 6 and Graham Rahal starting P2. IndyCar Rookie Louis Foster managed to beat McLaughlin and Newgarden in the final IndyCar qualifying session to start P3.

The IndyCar driver arrived at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after last weekend's race at Barber Motorsports Park, and will spend the rest of May in Indiana. The races at IMS began with the Sonsio GP at the road course.

Alex Palou topped the first practice session and was among the fastest primary tire runners in the second practice. Graham Rahal topped the second practice with his teammates Devlin DeFrancesco and Louis Foster completing the Top 3.

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2025 IndyCar Sonsio GP highlights at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course

Unlike the previous race weekends, IndyCar changed the rules for races, where two alternates and a primary were mandated to be used for the race, which changed the qualifying strategy. While many would go out on primary for the first stint in qualifying 1 at previous races, almost everyone opted for the alternate tires this time around, especially with the track position being offered the essence at the circuit.

After the first runs for group 1 in Q1 session, Pato O'Ward took the top spot, followed by Kyffin Simpson, Louis Foster, Alexander Rossi, Callum Ilott, and Sting Ray Robb in the qualifying spots (Top 6). Colton Herta and Kyle Kirkwood were the two drivers who had a sub-optimal initial run and were in the drop zone.

O'Ward finished the IndyCar session as the fastest driver. Rossi, Rosenqvist, Ferrucci, Foster, and Simpson made it into the second qualifying session. However, the Andretti Global of Colton Herta and Kyle Kirkwood failed to make it and were eliminated.

Both Herta and Kirkwood detailed their disappointment in the post-session interviews, explaining how the car was slow, and Kyle suggested he didn't have a lot of positive things to say.

Josef Newgarden almost put his #2 Team Penske in the wall in the Group 2 qualifying as he started his first lap in the session, but managed to save the snap. After the first stints, Will Power, Josef Newgarden, Marcus Ericsson, Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon, and Alex Palou were the Top 6.

Palou continued to showcase the pace of the #10 CGR and topped group 2. Devlin DeFrancesco and Graham Rahal qualified for round 2 for RLL. All three Team Penske drivers were also able to make the cut. However, Scott Dixon and Christian Lundgaard narrowly missed out and were eliminated.

After the first run in Qualifying Round 2, Palou led the pack, followed by Power, DeFrancesco, O'Ward, Newgarden, and McLaughlin. Rahal, who topped the second practice, was at the bottom of the IndyCar timing sheets after the first run.

Palou topped the session, followed by the three Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing drivers, making it to the IndyCar Fast 6. Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin were the two drivers who made the Fastest 6 cut, as Will Power narrowly missed out and will start P7. Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward was just three hundredths of a second away from making the cut and will start P8.

Felix Rosenqvist spun on his final lap in round 2. O'Ward came out during the post-session interview and suggested that he lost two tenths down the main straight, and suggested that his team is looking into the issue.

The three Team Penske cars didn't get out for the first runs and put on used alternate tires for their only run. Scott McLaughlin stalled his car in the pit lane as he prepared for his one and only run.

Alex Palou took the pole position after locking up on his first lap of the final run. Yet, the Spaniard managed to take the pole position by 4 tenths. Graham Rahal will start P2 with teammate Louis Foster starting P3. Scott McLaughlin, Devlin DeFrancesco, and Josef Newgarden complete the Top 6.

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Alex Palou takes Pole Position for 2025 IndyCar Sonsio GP at IMS Road Course

Alex Palou started the weekend at IMS Road Course by topping the sheets in practice one, followed by being amongst the fastest primary runners in practice 2. The qualifying session was a breeze for the Spaniard, as he was able to save a new set of alternates for the race tomorrow, and yet was able to take the pole position with a 4-tenth gap to Rahal in P2.

Speaking with Jack Harvey after the session, Alex Palou said:

“We had a bit of an advantage there with a set of brand new soft tires, I think. Some people used it in Q1 and we didn't, so. Yeah, maybe that's where the time comes. But anyway, that #10 DHL car was amazing. Super fast. It's. Been super fast all season, honestly. But, yeah, today it's been on fire.”

“We know it's pretty special. It's super tough to be competitive in IndyCar and to be running upfront week in week out, so yeah, we're enjoying it as long as this wave continues, hopefully continues at least for one more week or two more weeks after this, but, yeah, it's been amazing, incredible job by everybody at Chip Ganassi Racing and HRC,” he added.

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Full Results from the 2025 IndyCar Sonsio GP

• P1 #10 Alex Palou: Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
• P2 #15 Graham Rahal: Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
• P3 #45 Louis Foster: Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
• P4 #3 Scott McLaughlin: Team Penske Chevrolet
• P5 #30 Devlin DeFrancesco: Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
• P6 #2 Josef Newgarden: Team Penske Chevrolet
• P7 #12 Will Power: Team Penske Chevrolet
• P8 #5 Pato O'Ward: Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
• P9 #20 Alexander Rossi: Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
• P10 #8 Kyffin Simpson: Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
• P11 #14 Santino Ferrucci: AJ Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet
• P12 #60 Felix Rosenqvist: Meyer Shank Racing Honda
• P13 #26 Colton Herta: Andretti Global Honda
• P14 #7 Christian Lundgaard: Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
• P15 #66 Marcus Armstrong: Meyer Shank Racing Honda
• P16 #9 Scott Dixon: Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
• P17 #77: Sting Ray Robb: Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet
• P18 #6 Nolan Siegel: Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
• P19 #21 Christian Rasmussen: Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
• P20 #28 Marcus Ericsson: Andretti Global Honda
• P21 #27 Kyle Kirkwood: Andretti Global Honda
• P22 #76 Conor Daly: Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet
• P23 #90 Callum Ilott: PREMA Racing Chevrolet
• P24 #18 Rinus VeeKay: Dale Coyne Racing Honda
• P25 #51 Jacob Abel: Dale Coyne Racing Honda
• P26 #4 David Malukas: AJ Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet
• P27 #83 Robert Shwartzman: PREMA Racing Chevrolet