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Alex Palou Sets Fastest Time On First Day Of Indianapolis 500 Qualifying For Honda Drivers
Alex Palou led the first day of qualifying for the 109th Indianapolis 500, achieving a four-lap average speed of 233.043 MPH. The reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion aims for his second pole position at the Indy 500, having led the field in 2023. Palou is determined to secure his first victory at this prestigious event and continue his successful start to the 2025 season.
Colton Herta faced a challenging day after a significant crash during his initial qualifying attempt. His Andretti Global team built a new car, allowing him to complete a four-lap run at 230.192 MPH. This effort placed him in 29th position on the grid, just ahead of Graham Rahal, who qualified for the race on the first day for the first time since 2022.
Five Honda-powered drivers advanced to the Top 12 round of qualifications. Joining Palou are Scott Dixon, Felix Rosenqvist, Takuma Sato, and Marcus Ericsson. These drivers will compete to reach the Firestone Fast Six and ultimately vie for pole position at Indianapolis. Meanwhile, positions 13-30 are secured for next Sunday's race.
Other Honda drivers who have secured their spots include Kyffin Simpson (15th), Devlin DeFrancesco (18th), rookie Louis Foster (22nd), Helio Castroneves (24th), and Kyle Kirkwood (25th). These drivers are now focused on preparing for the upcoming race.
"Number one! It was a tough day with the wind, and we struggled a little bit in the morning with the balance of the car and just finishing a full qualifying run," said Alex Palou. "It was incredible that we were able to go back out in slightly worse conditions and be still fast later on."
"It was a long day here in qualifying," stated Felix Rosenqvist. "It went pretty good for us; we ended up P8. Little bit of a tough day for the team with a lot of work in the garage after Marcus [Armstrong]'s accident."
Honda's Impressive Indy 500 History
Honda has achieved 14 poles in 25 Indianapolis 500 races, most recently with Palou in 2023. Before 2024, Honda drivers had secured pole positions consecutively from 2020 to 2023. Notable pole winners include Marco Andretti (2020), Scott Dixon (2021-22), Buddy Rice (2004), Tony Kanaan (2005), Sam Hornish Jr. (2006), Helio Castroneves (2007, 2009, 2010), Alex Tagliani (2011), and James Hinchcliffe (2016).
"The accident was no fun, but the crew did everything for me," Colton Herta remarked about his team's efforts after his crash. "I thought there was zero chance to get back out today... This Andretti crew made my day."
Upcoming Qualifying Events
The Top 12, Fast Six, and Bump Day qualifying events will air on Sunday, May 18th on Fox at 4 PM ET. Fans can follow these exciting developments as drivers compete for top positions ahead of next week's race.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway continues to be a stage where both seasoned champions and emerging talents showcase their skills. As preparations intensify for race day, all eyes remain on those vying for victory at this iconic event.
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