IndyCar | Qualifying | Laguna Seca | Rapid Palou beats O’Ward to pole

Qualifying for round 14 of the 2025 IndyCar season at Laguna Seca is in the books, view the full report and results below.

With practice 2 cancelled on Saturday morning, teams and drivers faced a big challenge heading into the session.

Round 1, Group 1

In the very early stages, Colton Herta did a 1:13.124 to lead Palou by a tenth. Dixon, VeeKay and Ericsson rounded out the top 5. The Swede, McLaughlin and Newgarden immediately went to reds.

With 7 minutes remaining, a 1:10.067 from Ericsson put him ahead of McLaughlin, Newgarden, Herta, Palou and Rosenqvist. Seconds after that, Shwartzman smashed in a 1:09.563 on blacks.

Daly took a visit to the gravel down at the Corkscrew, with Palou pushing the limits himself at turn 4 with his left hand side tyres finding gravel.

As all drivers boxed for softs, a 1:09.208 from McLaughlin put him a tenth clear of Newgarden. Shwartzman was the best on blacks, ahead of Ericsson, Rosenqvist and Herta.

Palou, Rasmussen, Dixon, Lundgaard, VeeKay, Abel and Daly needed to improve to get in.

The defending champion stamped his authority on the session as Palou clocked a 1:08.665 to go fastest. Behind him, 5 drivers were all in the 1:08.8s as Rosenqvist, Rasmussen, Lundgaard, Herta and Newgarden all advanced. A mere 0.048s covered them.

McLaughlin (0.1s), Erickson, VeeKay, Dixon, Abel, Daly and Shwartzman failed to advance as both Kiwis had a bad qualifying day. Meanwhile the PREMA driver never improved on his second run.

Round 1, Group 1 IndyCar qualifying results at Laguna Seca

1. Palou
2. Rosenqvist
3. Rasmussen
4. Lundgaard
5. Herta
6. Newgarden
7. McLaughlin
8. Ericsson
9. VeeKay
10. Dixon
11. Abel
12. Daly
13. Shwartzman

Round 1, Group 2

It was an AJ Foyt Racing 1-2 in the first part of the session. A 1:09.136 from David Malukas put him 0.3s clear of Santino Ferrucci. Foster, Simpson, Rahal and DeFrancesco completed the top 6, before the CGR driver split the Foyt drivers.

It wasn’t perfect for the Canadian as he spun at the bottom of the Corkscrew. He applied too much power and dropped it. Marcus Armstrong also took to the gravel and run-off in a separate incident.

Robb, Ilott, Power, Kirkwood, Armstrong, O’Ward, Siegel and Rossi needed to find time in the closing stages.

After Palou went quickest in Group 1, inevitably Pato O’Ward responded in Group 2. He did a 1:08.751 to pace his by 0.3s. Armstrong, Malukas, Power, Foster and Rahal also advanced as the times were a good chunk slower in this segment.

Simspon, Siegel, Kirkwood, Ferrucci, Rossi, Ilott, Robb and DeFrancesco departed. Kirkwood looked a slam dunk to make it through but a massive moment in turn 9 cost him half a second or so.

Round 1, Group 2 IndyCar qualifying results at Laguna Seca

1. O’Ward
2. Armstrong
3. Malukas
4. Power
5. Foster
6. Rahal
7. Simpson
8. Siegel
9. Kirkwood
10. Ferrucci
11. Rossi
12. Ilott
13. Robb
14. DeFrancesco

Round 2

Colton Herta was the latest driver to take the Corkscrew via the dirt as he got in too deep down the bottom. He recovered from that to lead the way on the first runs, clocking a 1:09.350 on used softs. Malukas, Rosenqvist, Rahal, Palou and Armstrong completed the top 6.

Power, Newgarden, O’Ward, Foster, Rasmussen and Lundgaard looked to find a way in.

It was a mix of used reds and blacks before everyone switched to new softs.

Once again, Alex Palou led the way. A 1:08.594 from the Spanish driver saw him outpace the pack. He even could afford an excursion into the gravel at turn 6.

However, Felix Rosenqvist was not so lucky. After doing a 1:08.633 which was enough to advance by half a second, he spun on his next push into turn 5. As Christian Rasmussen came through under a local yellow, the Swede lost his best time and plummeted to 12th. Instead it was Colton Herta who was P2 in the end on a 1:08.643.

O’Ward, Malukas, Newgarden and Power advanced. The McLaren and Foyt drivers did 1:09.0s, with the Penske duo in the 1:09.1s.

Lundgaard, Rahal, Foster, Armstrong, Rasmussen and the unfortunate Rosenqvist got bumped.

Round 2 IndyCar qualifying results at Laguna Seca

1. Palou
2. Herta
3. O’Ward
4. Malukas
5. Newgarden
6. Power
7. Lundgaard
8. Rahal
9. Foster
10. Armstrong
11. Rasmussen
12. Rosenqvist

Fast 6

The first notable time in the fast 6 was from Will Power as the Australian clocked a 1:10.006.

In the end, the pole fight came down to the title contenders. After Pato O’Ward logged a 1:08.667, Alex Palou came back in style as a stunning 1:08.341 gave him pole position.

Despite doing a 1:08.627 on his second attempt, the McLaren man simply did not have the pace of his Spanish counterpart. Herta also got in the 1:08s as a 1:08.882 put him 3rd.

Newgarden, Power and Malukas rounded out the top 6.

Fast 6 IndyCar qualifying results at Laguna Seca

1. Palou
2. O’Ward
3. Herta
4. Newgarden
5. Power
6. Malukas

Full qualifying classification and results for IndyCar at Laguna Seca

1. Palou
2. O’Ward
3. Herta
4. Newgarden
5. Power
6. Malukas
7. Lundgaard
8. Rahal
9. Foster
10. Armstrong
11. Rasmussen
12. Rosenqvist
13. McLaughlin
14. Simpson
15. Ericsson
16. Siegel
17. VeeKay
18. Kirkwood
19. Dixon
20. Ferrucci
21. Abel
22. Rossi
23. Daly
24. Ilott
25. Shwartzman
26. Robb
27. DeFrancesco