Alex Palou extended his dominance in the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES by earning his fifth pole position of the season today at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. This pole achievement adds a valuable bonus point to Palou’s championship total as he prepares to pursue his third consecutive drivers‘ title, highlighting his intention to continue his remarkable winning streak.
Top Qualifiers and Team Performances at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Palou, who has previously won at Laguna Seca in 2022 and 2024, now heads into the race with a 100-point lead over his closest rival, holding 537 points to 437. Starting alongside him in the front row will be Colton Herta of Andretti Global, who qualified third. Herta is a two-time victor at Laguna Seca, securing wins in 2019 and 2021, and has played a part in Honda’s ongoing success, contributing to the manufacturer’s streak of five consecutive race victories at the track since the series returned in 2019.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing will feature two drivers in the top ten, with Graham Rahal in eighth and rookie Louis Foster starting ninth. Meanwhile, Marcus Armstrong from Meyer Shank Racing qualified tenth, rounding out the strong presence of Honda-powered teams near the front of the grid.
Honda’s Dominance Continues Amid Tight Manufacturer Battle
Honda is aiming for its twelfth victory of the season, boosted by Palou’s seven wins, including the prestigious Indianapolis 500. Other contributors include Kyle Kirkwood with three wins, one being the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, and Scott Dixon, who triumphed at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. After an incredible run of eleven wins in thirteen races, Honda leads Chevrolet by 205 points in the manufacturers‘ standings, 1223 to 1018, sustaining its competitive edge in the series.
Complete Qualifying Results Highlight Key Drivers and Rookies
The full Java House Grand Prix of Monterey qualifying results reflected strong performances from Honda teams and drivers:
- Alex Palou
- —[Not listed in input]
- Colton Herta
- —[Not listed in input]
- —[Not listed]
- —[Not listed]
- —[Not listed]
- Graham Rahal
- Louis Foster (Rookie)
- Marcus Armstrong
- —[Not listed]
- Felix Rosenqvist
- —[Not listed]
- Kyffin Simpson
- Marcus Ericsson
- —[Not listed]
- Rinus VeeKay
- Kyle Kirkwood
- Scott Dixon
- —[Not listed]
- Jacob Abel (Rookie)
- —[Not listed]
- Devlin DeFrancesco
Driver and Team Insights Ahead of the Race
Alex Palou shared his thoughts on securing pole, expressing enthusiasm for the race day ahead:
“Fifth pole of the year! Of course, we’d like to have even more, but it’s just been amazing. We started on pole last year, but it didn’t last very long. I don’t even think I was leading in the first turn. So, hopefully this year we can try and make that last a little bit longer. The speed from our Honda has been amazing all weekend. Practice was fast, all qualifying segments, we have all the power we needed. I’m excited for warm up later today to see how the car behaves on the long run—I think no one has that information with practice being cancelled this morning. But I’m looking forward to tomorrow and let’s see what we can do.” —Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
Colton Herta expressed his satisfaction and optimism about his starting position:
“I’m happy with P3. The car was really good. Our Gainbridge Honda was fast and we have plenty to look forward to tomorrow. We can get the win from there.” —Colton Herta, Andretti Global Honda
Broadcast Information for the Java House Grand Prix of Monterey
The upcoming race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the Java House Grand Prix of Monterey, will be broadcast live on Fox. Coverage begins at 12 PM Pacific Time / 3 PM Eastern Time, offering fans in-depth viewing of the action as the championship battle intensifies.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Did McLaren sue Alex Palou over $47.5 million contract dispute?
A. McLaren breaks a 26-year wait for a title. After the Daytona 24-hour race, three-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou must travel to London. There, he will join a mediation session with McLaren, who is suing him for at least $47.5 million over a contract dispute.
