Defending race winner Pato O’Ward may have a steep hill to climb if he hopes to repeat within the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
The Mexican star put ahead a surprisingly sluggish qualifying effort within the opening spherical of qualifying in St. Pete. His greatest lap got here in at 1:00.367s, a full half-second under the cutoff for the Quick 12 and practically seven tenths slower than high teammate Nolan Siegel’s greatest lap in the identical session.
“I simply couldn’t get the inexperienced tires switched on,” O’Ward mentioned of the run. “We had two alternatives. I don’t have an evidence for you, actually. It was only a actually robust lap to get collectively.”
O’Ward had entered the session favored to take a season-opening pole. As a substitute, he’ll roll off twenty third. “Clearly it’s not ultimate for tomorrow,” he mentioned of the consequence. “We’ll have our work lower out for us. We’ll see if we will make our method and get some strong factors tomorrow.”
Scott McLaughlin, Group Penske
Photograph by: Penske Leisure
Qualifying rundown
Scott McLaughlin kicked off what he hopes will likely be a title-winning 2025 marketing campaign in type, securing his Tenth-career IndyCar pole for the St. Pete opener.
McLaughlin delivered a 59.4624s flyer within the waning seconds of the Firestone Quick Six to guide the sphere in qualifying. It was an enormous comeback for the Kiwi, whose automotive required repairs after a crash in Friday’s lone apply session.
“We have now a lot belief in one another,” McLaughlin mentioned of his workforce. “They trusted that I may do the job immediately within the Dex Imaging Chevy.[…] The fellows and ladies on this workforce, they’re stars. I needed to repay them. I made a bit of foolish mistake there. I used to be glad to return again with them.”
In typical IndyCar vogue, the carefully matched subject noticed 5 completely different groups represented within the Firestone Quick 6. A number of drivers swapped the quickest lap within the closing seconds of the session earlier than McLaughlin finally prevailed.
Final yr’s finale winner, Colton Herta, ended up settling for second, .1769s wanting McLaughlin’s high time. Felix Rosenqvist, Marcus Armstrong, Christian Lundgaard and Scott Dixon wrapped up the Quick 6.
Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti World
Photograph by: Penske Leisure
Knocked out within the Quick 12 had been Marcus Ericsson, Alex Palou, Kyle Kirkwood, Josef Newgarden, Nolan Siegel and Rinus Veekay. Newgarden’s untimely exit was a shock, given the pole run and dominant race he managed earlier than dropping the 2024 race win to a post-race disqualification. “I’m bummed,” Newgarden admitted, later including that “we’ve gotta concentrate on tomorrow now. Tenth’s not nice, nevertheless it’s not horrible.”
With O’Ward out early and each Palou and Newgarden denied within the Firestone Quick 12, not one of the three most important drivers marketed by IndyCar and FOX main as much as St. Pete challenged for the pole within the last spherical of qualifying.
Will Energy, Group Penske
Photograph by: Penske Leisure
Sequence favorites struggled to discover a fast lap
Will Energy is accustomed to sturdy Saturdays in St. Pete, having claimed a series-best 9 poles on the facility. However the two-time champion endured a troublesome journey to the monitor on his forty fourth birthday. Energy’s No. 12 Chevrolet required a hybrid unit swap after morning apply. The Australian didn’t face any mechanical points in qualifying, however made a small mistake in Group 1 that narrowly saved him out of the Quick 12.
“The start of the lap, you don’t fairly have sufficient temp within the entrance tire,” he mentioned. “I ought to have slowed the center a bit extra. Simply carried a bit an excessive amount of within the center and (the automotive) simply pushed out into the wall. I needed to raise.”
The tip consequence was a quick lap simply .0178s wanting advancing, leaving Energy seventh in his group. He’ll begin outdoors of the top-10 for simply the third time in 17 St. Pete appearances. “Oof,” Energy mentioned. “Man, you’ll be able to’t depart something on the desk on this sequence.”
McLaughlin (59.4678s) was quickest in a stacked opening group that featured all six automobiles from Group Penske and Arrow McLaren. He was adopted into the Quick 12 by Herta, Siegel, Newgarden, Lundgaard and Veekay. Palou led the way in which in Group 2, advancing alongside Dixon, Rosenqvist, Ericsson, Armstrong and Kirkwood.
Sunday’s race will go stay on FOX at 12:00 p.m. ET.
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IndyCar
Scott McLaughlin
Patricio O’Ward
Group Penske
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