It’s time to set the grid for the IndyCar Milwaukee double header, as all drivers brace themselves for Qualifying. The Mile will be host to the final oval races of the 2026 season, with championship leader Alex Palou definitely aiming to secure his title ahead of the season finale in Monterey in spite of having an engine penalty for Race 1 on Saturday.
Several other drivers have opted for taking up a new engine, including Penske’s McLaughlin and Malukas, and the Juncos Hollinger Racing driver duo of Robb and VeeKay.
Yesterday, the drivers had their first taste of racing with the only Practice session of the weekend, which saw latest race winner in Washington Kyle Kirkwood crashing out after contact with Christian Rasmussen. Both of them will have no time to adapt.
This session will set the grid for both races to come. In fact, every driver will lap twice, with the speed from the first lap accounting for grid position on Saturday and the second for the Sunday race.
Time to set the IndyCar grids in Milwaukee with Qualifying
First on track was Robb, setting a 159.564 for Race 1 and a 159.392 for the second. Rookie Mick Schumacher immediately after went faster setting two positive speeds of 162.344 and 163.244. The RLL driver confirmed that the track has significantly more grip compared to yesterday’s running times, also considering the rubber left on track by Indy NXT.
AJ Foyt’s Collet settled right between them, setting average speeds of 160.033 and 159.847. Last year Milwaukee winner Christian Rasmussen had a wiggle at Turn 1 on his second lap, setting a 161.015 for the first race and a 160.409 for the second. So far, the only driver improving on his second lap thus far was Schumacher, still comfortably in the lead.
Rookie Dennis Hauger dethrones him for Race 1 setting a lap in the 163s. His second attempt was less performant, in 161.253. RLL’s Foster takes the track next, whilst still nursing his wrist and foot injuries following his Markham crash. He set for a 163.011 and 162.910, putting him consistently in provisional P2 for both races.
Nolan Siegel, who too crashed out yesterday in Practice, clocked in the slowest laps seen so far today in 155.959 and 157.754, ass he still tries to build some feeling with his new Arrow McLaren car ahead of the main events. Markham podium sitter Grosjean slots on third, behind his rookie teammate, for today and takes provisional P5 for the second race.
AJ Foyt’s Ferrucci is the next pole contender. However, he too went slower than his rookie teammate, setting a 159.040 for the first race and a slightly better 159.959 on his second lap. ECR’s Rossi follows him suit, with top 5 provisional finishes in both runs, lapping in 162.536, P3 for Race 1 and 160.745, P4 for Race 2.
Rookies still on top
Meyer Shank Racing’s Armstrong, who has a best seasonal finish of P5, will have a better starting position on Sunday, with a 161.163 and a 162.331. The last Rahal Letterman Lanigan car of Rahal is next, but he will have to do a strong recovery drive during both races, setting best speeds in the 160mphs. Ganassi’s Simpson follows suit, setting speeds of 161.065 and 160.313 for P7 on both events.
Currently, the top speeds for both races aere still held by rookies Hauger and Schumacher. Dixon, in his final races as Ganassi man and definitely hoping for a strong result so as to maintain his race win streak of 21 years, set a 161.193 for P6, wooing high at the exit of Turn 4, and a 162.153. VeeKay, serving an engine penalty this weekend, set a 160.978 for P10 and 161.776 for P5 in the second, as only the top ten drivers in the championship standings still have to put in their laps.
Following a challenging beginning of his first year with Andretti, Will Power has been on the podium in the last three races. A previous winner at the track in 2014, he set the fastest speed for Race 1 in 163.220 while having to lift ahead of Turn 4 on his second lap, setting a 163.244, only 0.001mphs off Schumacher’s best lap.
A new fastest driver – but not a polesitter
McLaughlin takes on the Milwaukee IndyCar Qualifying challenge next. He set the fastest speed for Race 1 in 165.536, in which he will have to serve a grid penalty, whilst too suffering from lack of grip at the Turn 4 entrance and going 162.560 on the second.
Indy 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist went provisional fourth fastest in both races, setting a 163.183 and 162.667. Previous Indy 500 race winner and fellow Swede Marcus Ericsson follows suit, lulling at the bottom of the top 10 with best speeds of 161.896 and 161.623. Fastest man in Practice and the only Penske man not serving an engine penalty Newgarden storms to near the top for both races, setting the second fastest speed for Race 1 in 163.771 and besting Schumacher for Race 2 on a 163.767.
Final, decisive laps around the Mile
Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward tackles the Mile next, lapping ahead of Newgarden in both races, setting strong speeds of 164.019 and 164.665 as the first top 5 IndyCar championship contender. Oval specialist David Malukas had a very strong first lap in 164.058, but severely dropped down to 161.615 for provisional P12 due to severe bottoming at Turn 3.
Christian Lundgaard went ninth fastest on his first lap in 162.573 and tenth for the second in 162.087. Andretti’s Kirkwood, aiming for a third seasonal win, almost lost his car on his warm up lap. He suffered from severe bottoming on his first lap, plummeting to below P21 for both races with best speeds in the 159mphs.
Championship leader Alex Palou is the last to exit for the session. He too slots in provisional P2 with a 164.147 for Race 1, but will have to serve an engine penalty, whereas he snatches Race 2 pole from O’Ward with 164.658, a mere 0.002mphs faster than the Mexican.
