Álex Palou will start the 107th edition of the Indianapolis 500 from pole position and did so with a historical record, beating Scott Dixon’s previous record. He was unrivaled by the Spanish in the Fast-6 and thanks to a spectacular first lap of 235,131 he won a privileged position and surpasses his best ranking, second place last year. He had never won a Palou pole in Indy, but things go big the first time and there is no better setting than the most imposing oval in the world. Thus, the Spaniard continues with his good positions on the grid in the race of the races: seventh in 2020, sixth in 2021 and second in 2022. In addition, as demonstrated during the week’s training sessions, in the ganassi there is a race rhythm to be able to dream. The strategy also works and as long as luck accompanies, or bad luck does not appear in the form of inopportune yellow flags or accidents that are beyond the control of the team and driver…
After accessing the Fast-12 with the third best average only behind the McLaren of rosenqvist and rossithe Spaniard started on Sunday with the second best time in practice 7 reserved for the finalists for pole position and those of the Last Chance (where Graham Rahal fell at the last second). There they already exceeded 234 mph and Ferrucci (A.J. Foyt) won first place with 234,465. At this point it is necessary to remember that Dixon He pulverized all records in 2022 with the fastest pole in history, with an average of 234.046 in the four laps launched that Palou would be in charge of leaving nothing.
And with this background began the elimination of the Fast-12. palou appeared before last in battle McLaren-Ganassi, both teams with their four cars among the fastest. He knew the cut, sixth place Tony Kanaan with 233,076 and the fastest time, 233,911 of santino ferrucciof the A. J. Foyt powered by Chevrolet. second was Rinus VeeKay (233,801); third was Dixonwho was chasing his sixth pole to match the legend of Rick Mearswith 233,430 and a fourth remained Duck O’Ward with 233,299, a record that the Mexican did not see clearly after his turn to be in the Fast-6 but that was enough. Fifth was Sato but later improvements left him out as a kanaan, ericsson (winner in 2022), pedersen and power.
The four laps of the Spaniard improved those of Saturday and he set a sequence of 234.812 (the fastest), 234.134, 233.265 and 232.916 for a average of 233,779 you let him in third provisional place already with a place among the six best whatever they did rosenqvist and rossi. The first pulverized the table with a new record (234,081) and the second finished seventh with no chance of pole position, which was played by the Swede, Ferruci, veekay, palou, Dixon and O’Ward. “It’s going to be difficult to improve it, we’ve found our speed and we’re happy with the performance,” said the Spaniard at the end of the first cut.
Pole. In the final stake, the Spaniard started third, improved what he said could not be improved and surpassed O’Ward (233,158) and Dixon (233,151) with an impressive 234,217, pulverizing the records so far. “Palou is very strong,” warned the Mexican who responded with a gesture of astonishment at the time of the Spaniard. VeeKay with the Ed Carpenter scared him, but he couldn’t with the Barcelonan’s time (234.211). He didn’t give the chest either ferrucci (233,798) and Palou only had to wait for rosenqvist that he couldn’t with him either. Joy broke out in Palou’s team, who after flirting several times with victory in the 500, started as poleman in the race of races.
Now there are only four hours of free practice left to put the car in the race set-up, totally different from qualifying. On Monday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. practice 8 and on Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Carb Day. The race, on Sunday at 6:45 p.m. (Movistar Deportes).
