Pato O’Ward, a strong contender for the 2025 IndyCar championship, was surprised by his qualifying performance at the Portland IndyCar Grand Prix. Early in the session, he was the fastest in Group 1 and remained a top competitor throughout qualifying, even though he had considered skipping previous practice sessions.
O’Ward secured the provisional pole position during the Fast Six segment but was ultimately edged out by teammate Christian Lundgaard, who claimed P1. However, Lundgaard, due to an unapproved engine change, will start seventh on the grid. Despite leading the pack in qualifying, O’Ward appeared visibly puzzled by the result.
He commented, “Considering where we were before, this qualifying result is quite surprising. We are still trying to improve, given all the changes this year. Chris (Lundgaard) did an incredible job setting the fastest laps in all three qualifying rounds. I’m very happy with the car’s performance—it just came alive, and I honestly can’t explain it.”
During practice, O’Ward struggled to match the pace of his rivals, ranking ninth in the first session and eleventh in the second. Lundgaard was the fastest in those sessions but had to switch to a new engine, resulting in his seventh-place finish.
O’Ward made adjustments during qualifying, focusing on tires rather than setup changes. “We didn’t change anything from practice, but sometimes that’s the story with Firestone tires,” he said. “I’m really pleased with this qualifying performance, and we’ll be leading the field to the green flag. I’m proud of the team’s hard work, especially considering last year’s tough road course.”
Last year, O’Ward finished 15th at Portland, while Nolan Siegel, starting the race 18th this year, placed 21st in 2024. In championship battles, O’Ward will start four spots ahead of his title rival Alex Palou, who is aiming to clinch the championship this weekend.
Palou, currently leading with 121 points, needs to maintain a 108-point gap to secure the title in Portland. However, his weekend has started poorly, qualifying only fifth and then being demoted to the back due to a spin and subsequent collision at Turn 12. If O’Ward wins and Palou finishes fifth, the championship fight will extend to Milwaukee.
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Fan Take: This qualifying shakeup at Portland adds thrilling unpredictability to the championship chase, highlighting the fierce rivalry between O’Ward and Palou. Racing fans should be excited as this battle could redefine the sport’s narrative and bring intense competition right to the final laps.
