Palou takes third pole of 2025 at IndyCar Mid-Ohio qualifying

Written by Dan Jones

Credit: Dominic Loyer

Álex Palou's domination of the IndyCar field in 2025 continued in Mid-Ohio qualifying as he took his third pole position of the season, and will lead the field to green for Sunday's Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. Here's how qualifying unfolded:

Group 1

It was Devlin DeFrancesco who set the early pace of Group 1 with a 1:06.059, followed by Marcus Ericsson, Sting Ray Robb and Conor Daly - all of whom were on the softer, alternate tyre as opposed to the majority being on the harder black tyre on their opening qualifying runs in order to save the softer tyres for Sunday's race.

Kyffin Simpson moved himself to the top of the times with a 1:05.718, with McLaughlin slotting in second just over a tenth behind. Christian Lundgaard moved to the top with a 1:05.283, as his countryman, Christian Rasmussen moved into fourth. Colton Herta provisionally moved himself behind Lundgaard, albeit some four tenths behind before Ericsson moved himself into second.

Daly moved himself into fifth, with Pato O'Ward just behind in sixth and on the bubble. Despite a big moment in the final corner, Rasmussen moved himself back into fourth, two thousandths ahead of Simpson.

Nolan Siegel was last across the line and agonisingly knocked Daly out as he moved into fourth position and transferred on a road course for the second time this seaosn.

Lundgaard topped the times ahead of Ericsson, Herta, Siegel, Rasmussen and Simpson also advancing.

Daly, O'Ward, Santino Ferrucci, Robb, McLaughlin, DeFrancesco and Jacob Abel were outside looking in and were unable to advance to the Fast 12.

Group 2

Road America pole sitter, Louis Foster, topped the early times with a 1:05.573 after the opening runs on the alternate tyres - notably the same strategy he used to claim his maiden pole at Elkhart Lake. Alexander Rossi, Rinus VeeKay and Felix Rosenqvist followed, all on the softer tyre, with Palou top of the hard tyre runners with a 1:05.998.

Kyle Kirkwood soon bounced himself to the top on his final run before quickly being usurped by Palou with a 1:05.204. Josef Newgarden sneaked through in sixth with just seconds left on the clocked, before David Malukas knocked the two-time champion provisionally out by moving into fifth. Marcus Armstrong moved himself into fourth, which put Malukas back onto the bubble - with the American quickly being eliminated as Dixon put himself into third.

Nobody else was able to improve signifying both Newgarden and Power's eliminations the group, adding to McLaughlin's elimination in Group 1 - notably meaning there were no Team Penske cars in the Fast 12 once again as their disastrous 2025 season continued.

Palou topped the times, half a tenth ahead of Foster, followed by Dixon, Kirkwood, Armstrong and Rossi progressing into the Fast 12.

Malukas narrowly missed out in seventh, ahead of Rosenqvist, Newgarden and home hero, Graham Rahal. Power was 11th in the group, followed by Callum Ilott, VeeKay and Robert Shwartzman.

Fast 12

Foster provided the first commentary 'woahhh' of the day as he dropped his rear-right on the Turn 1 exit, resulting in a huge snap on the exit but escaped unscathed.

Kirkwood set the pace early on with a 1:05.914, ahead of Siegel, Herta, Palou, Foster and Dixon - Palou and Dixon being the only ones of those on the harder, black tyre.

Kirkwood dropped the benchmark on the final runs to a 1:05.444, before Palou trumped that time with a 1:05.286. Simpson, Ericsson and Armstrong quickly moved themselves into the provisional Fast Six before Herta and Dixon moved themselves into second and fourth respectively.

A stellar lap from Siegel moved the American up to third before his teammate Lundgaard topped the times with a 1:05.183. That would be short-lived though, as Foster beat that with a 1:05.089 to top the group. Simpson transferred to sixth with a last-gasp run to knock Kirkwood out with Dixon being the last car back over the line, unable to beat his teammate's time.

The shock of the session was Kirkwood being eliminated in the Fast 12, just missing out in seventh. Armstrong will line up next to Kirkwood on Sunday with Dixon in ninth. Rasmussen qualified in 10th, but will start six positions lower due to an unapproved engine change. Ericsson qualified in 11th, with Rossi in 12th.

Rasmussen missed out from advancing after downshifting instead of deploying the hybrid during the final corner of the qualifying lap. Kirkwood also felt like he should have advanced after being held up on his final run.

Foster topped the times as his strong qualifying form continued, with the Briton being joined by Lundgaard, Palou, Herta, Siegel and Simpson in the Fast Six.

Fast Six

Two McLaren's, two Ganassi's, a RLL, and an Andretti Global car made up the Fast Six, with Palou, Foster and Herta all having claimed poles in 2025 thus far.

Siegel set the initial times of a 1:07.370, but that was always going to drop significantly through the session. Foster lowered that time to a 1:06.239 before Palou put that time aside with a 1:05.208 as he continued to improve on his final lap.

Herta moved to second on his final lap, before a mega lap from Simpson moved himself up into second. Palou's benchmark was lowered even further with a a 1:05.021, and nobody else was able to reply. Lundgaard moved to second with a 1:05.212 with his teammate, Siegel the last car across the line in fourth.

Palou claimed his third pole position of the season, adding to his previous poles at Barber Motorsports Park and Indianapolis Motor Speedway and continuing his domination of 2025 as he chases a seventh victory of the season on Sunday, and will be joined by Christian Lundgaard on the front row.

Simpson earned a career-best qualifying result in third, as did Nolan Siegel qualifying fourth. Herta would qualify fifth with Foster finishing sixth.

But there was no stopping Palou, as he continues his quest to claim every road course victory in 2025 after previous victories at Thermal, Barber, Indianapolis and Road America.

All photos in this article were taken by DIVEBOMB Photographer, Dominic Loyer. You can find Dominic's work on Instagram (@dominicloyer_photography)