Series leader Alex Palou secured his second straight IndyCar Mid-Ohio pole position in a fiercely contested qualifying for Honda Indy 200.
The session unfolded under hot and humid conditions at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, adding an extra layer of challenge for drivers and teams as they battled not only each other but also the elements.
Qualifying began with two initial groups, each featuring a mix of established stars and rising talents. Group 1 included Christian Lundgaard, Pato O’Ward, Colton Herta, Kyffin Simpson, Christian Rasmussen, Marcus Ericsson, Nolan Siegel, Scott McLaughlin, Conor Daly, Devlin DeFrancesco, Sting Ray Robb, Jacob Abel, and Santino Ferrucci.
2025 IndyCar Mid-Ohio Qualifying Results
Early laps saw Nolan Siegel set the initial benchmark but as the session progressed times tumbled rapidly. Lundgaard surged to the top late in the run with a lap in the 1:05.283s range, establishing himself as a serious contender for pole.
Ericsson and Herta also delivered strong performances while Defrancesco rebounded from an earlier crash to momentarily hold provisional P1.
The closing moments were particularly intense with the order shifting frequently as drivers squeezed every last hundredth from their cars. Rasmussen advanced to the next round despite a moment over the kerbs while Siegel’s late flyer vaulted him into the Fast 12.
Notably, O’Ward and McLaughlin failed to progress, highlighting the session’s unforgiving nature.
Group 2 featured another formidable lineup: Kyle Kirkwood, Louis Foster, Alex Palou, Will Power, Alexander Rossi, Rinus VeeKay, Felix Rosenqvist, Josef Newgarden, Callum Ilott, Robert Shwartzman, Marcus Armstrong, and Graham Rahal.
Kirkwood set the early benchmark but Foster quickly eclipsed him before Palou demonstrated his championship-leading form by laying down a 1:05.204s lap.
The group was especially tough for Team Penske with both Power and Newgarden struggling and ultimately failing to advance. Prema Racing’s Shwartzman and Ilott also languished at the back with Dale Coyne Racing’s VeeKay also missing the cut.
The Fast 12 session brought together the quickest drivers from both groups with track conditions continuing to change. Drivers delayed their runs to maximize grip and exploit the best possible track position.
Foster initially set the pace with a lap of 1:06.308s despite a brief off-track excursion before Siegel and Kirkwood traded fastest times, with Kirkwood’s 1:05.914s standing out. However, Foster delivered an impressive 1:05.0897s lap, ensuring his spot in the Fast Six.
The Firestone Fast Six began with Siegel setting the benchmark but the real drama unfolded in the final minutes as drivers went out on fresh tires for their ultimate attempts. Foster later took the lead with a 1:06.239s, but the times continued to fall as the session reached its conclusion.
Championship leader Alex Palou ultimately delivered a stunning 1:05.0215 lap to secure his ninth career IndyCar pole and his third in the 2025 season.
“Ever since I started with CGR we’ve had great cars,” Palou said after clinching IndyCar Mid-Ohio pole. “But I would say we’ve always struggled qualifying up front, so this year has been phenomenal.
The speed we have in the cars in every single race track where we show up, it’s been amazing.”
Christian Lundgaard finished 0.1911s off Palou to round out the front-row for Sunday’s Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.
“Historically, in the last few races, we’ve tried to think about the long game focus on being on a better strategy,” Lundgaard said.
“From a tires perspective going into the race I think this weekend we felt like we didn’t need to do that, so we knew that we could go for it, and it wasn’t quite enough. That No. 10 car just seems to be too strong.”
Behind the front row, Kyffin Simpson and Nolan Siegel both achieved their best-ever IndyCar qualifying results, lining up third and fourth, respectively. Colton Herta and Louis Foster rounded out the Fast Six, with Herta clocking a 1:06.1218 and Foster a 1:06.2398.
READ MORE: IndyCar driver salaries 2025: Who are the highest paid drivers?
