No wonder Alex Palou calls WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca his favorite road course on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule.
Palou, fresh off clinching his fifth series championship last weekend, continued to look untouchable at the picturesque Central California circuit after the first practice Friday for the Mission Foods Grand Prix of Monterey. He led with a best lap of 1 minute, 9.8994 seconds in the No. 10 DHL Lightning Bolt Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing that is an ode to Alex Zanardi, who won two INDYCAR SERIES titles for CGR in a car with a similar livery. Zanardi died in May.
The Spaniard has dominated at this 11-turn, 2.238-mile road course since his first start here in 2021. He has never finished worse than third in five starts, and he has three victories, including the last two years. He has won the pole for this event the last two years.
His average finish at this circuit is a mind-melting 1.6. He has led 250 laps on this iconic circuit that includes the newly renamed Zanardi Corkscrew turn complex, including 84 of 95 last year.
Add it all up, and it’s safe to say Palou remains the overwhelming favorite to win the NTT P1 Award during qualifying Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, FS2) and the 95-lap race Sunday (2:30 p.m.).
Felix Rosenqvist kept Palou close, ending up second at 1:09.9907 in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Honda that includes a special livery featuring hard rock superstars Nickelback.
Pato O’Ward, who swept both races of the Milwaukee doubleheader last Sunday, was third at 1:10.1764 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. O’Ward is one of three drivers in a very tight fight for second place in the championship standings behind Palou in this season-ending race. He is fourth, two points behind third-place Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global and four points behind teammate Christian Lundgaard in second.
Scott McLaughlin ended up fourth at 1:10.3198 in the No. 3 DEX Team Penske Chevrolet. Kyffin Simpson put two Chip Ganassi Racing cars in the top five with his best lap of 1:10.3765 in the No. 8 Sunoco CGR Honda.
There was one incident involving contact in the 64-minute session, divided into three groups. Santino Ferrucci ran wide in Turn 9 and made nose-first contact with the tire barrier in the No. 14 Homes For Our Troops Chevrolet of A.J. Foyt Enterprises. The car suffered minor damage, and Ferrucci was unhurt.
Up next is another practice session at 1 p.m. ET Saturday (FS2), leading into NTT P1 Award qualifying later that afternoon.
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