Arrow McLaren achieved a historic milestone in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, securing a dominant 1-2 start for the first time. Pato O’Ward and Christian Lundgaard locked out the front row during NTT P1 Award qualifying for The Thermal Club INDYCAR Grand Prix, marking a significant achievement for the team.
O’Ward’s Commanding Pole Position
Team veteran Pato O’Ward clinched his sixth career pole and his first since July 2022 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Driving the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, O’Ward set the fastest lap in the Firestone Fast Six with a blistering 1 minute, 39.9567 seconds. This result marks a remarkable rebound for the Mexican driver, who struggled in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, qualifying 23rd.
O’Ward secured pole with one minute and 45 seconds remaining in the final segment, conserving his Firestone Firehawk alternate tires after just four laps. Only Alexander Rossi completed fewer laps in that session.
“I knew if we could get the car to my liking, I would get it done,” O’Ward stated. “I’ve got to thank the guys. We turned it around. We dialed it in after Q1 because I was somewhat happy with it but not perfect. Just made a little bit of an adjustment and as soon as we went out in Q2, I said, ‘I’ve got this.’”
Lundgaard’s Strong Performance
Christian Lundgaard, in his debut season with Arrow McLaren, secured second place with a time of 1:40.1245 in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. This marks his best starting position since qualifying second for the Sonsio Grand Prix last May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course while driving for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Lundgaard had shown strong pace earlier in the day, topping the pre-qualifying practice session.
Arrow McLaren’s previous best qualifying effort was a 1-3 result by Felix Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi at Texas Motor Speedway in April 2023. The team’s front-row lockout highlights their impressive progress since rejoining the series in 2020.
The Road Ahead
The inaugural points-paying NTT INDYCAR SERIES event at The Thermal Club continues with a 25-minute warmup session at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday (FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network), followed by the 65-lap race at 3 p.m. ET (FOX, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).
Other Notable Qualifying Results
Three-time and reigning series champion Alex Palou qualified third with a time of 1:40.3092 in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Palou was the fastest driver in the early rounds of qualifying, setting the quickest lap of the weekend at 1:39.5933. However, after securing his place in the Firestone Fast Six, his team instructed him to save his alternate tires for the race.
Colton Herta secured fourth with a time of 1:40.3978 in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda, leading two Andretti Global cars in the Firestone Fast Six. His teammate Marcus Ericsson followed in fifth place with a 1:40.7435 in the No. 28 Bryant Honda.
Rounding out the top six was Alexander Rossi, posting a 1:41.0359 in the No. 20 ECR Java House Chevrolet. Rossi continues his strong start with Ed Carpenter Racing, a new venture after moving from Arrow McLaren last season.
Team Penske’s Disappointing Outing
Under the sunny Southern California skies, the biggest shock of qualifying was Team Penske’s underwhelming performance. For the first time in over three years, none of their drivers advanced past the first round of road course qualifying.
Josef Newgarden, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, was the fastest among the Penske trio, qualifying 17th in the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet. Two-time series champion Will Power, the all-time INDYCAR SERIES leader in pole positions, struggled to 21st in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Scott McLaughlin endured an even tougher session, qualifying 25th in the 27-car field in the No. 3 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet.
The last time no Team Penske driver advanced beyond the first round in road course qualifying was at Portland International Raceway in September 2021. This unexpected result raises concerns for the powerhouse team as they look to bounce back in Sunday’s race.
Looking Ahead
With Arrow McLaren on pole and Team Penske facing an uphill battle, The Thermal Club INDYCAR Grand Prix promises to deliver an exciting showdown. Fans can expect fierce competition as O’Ward, Lundgaard, and Palou vie for victory on the 17-turn, 3.067-mile natural terrain road course. Tune in for what promises to be an exhilarating race as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES continues its 2025 season.
Thermal Club IndyCar Starting Grid
March 22, 2025
