Palou's Perfect Tire Strategy Powers IndyCar Victory at Thermal
Alex Palou secured his second consecutive victory of the season at the inaugural Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix through masterful tire strategy and skillful driving. Despite Pato O'Ward leading 50 of the 65 laps from pole position, Palou's late-race charge on fresh Firestone alternate tires proved decisive.
After the final pit stops, Palou erased an 11-second deficit to O'Ward, who was running on primary tires. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver took the lead on lap 56 and built a commanding 10.1-second advantage by the checkered flag.
IndyCar racing at Thermal Club
O'Ward and teammate Christian Lundgaard completed the podium, followed by Colton Herta, Felix Rosenqvist, and Will Power, who advanced from 21st starting position to finish sixth.
The race at the 3.067-mile, 17-turn road course ran under clear skies with temperatures reaching 90 degrees, drawing approximately 5,000 spectators to California's Coachella Valley.
Notable incidents included Scott McLaughlin being spun by Devlin DeFrancesco on the parade lap and later experiencing overheating issues. Callum Ilott's day ended early after a first-lap accident sent his car airborne.
Unable to view or describe image
The victory highlighted the strategic excellence of Palou's race strategist Barry Wanser, who saved a set of new alternate tires for the final stint, proving crucial in securing the win.
Related Articles
FOX Broadcast Outage at Thermal IndyCar GP Caused by Failed Circuit Breaker
