Team Penske Struggles in Disastrous Thermal Grand Prix Qualifying
The fickle nature of IndyCar racing was evident during The Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix qualifying, where Team Penske faced unexpected challenges. Despite securing pole position at St. Petersburg with Scott McLaughlin earlier this month, the team struggled significantly at Thermal.
Driver next to racing car
The Chevrolet-powered Team Penske cars performed poorly across the board:
- Josef Newgarden: 17th position (No. 2 car)
- Will Power: 21st position (No. 12 car)
- Scott McLaughlin: 25th position (No. 3 car)
"We just weren't quick," admitted Newgarden. "All of us didn't look fantastic in our group. I felt really good going into qualifying. Obviously, we have to find some speed now."
The Penske-affiliated AJ Foyt Racing teams fared better, with David Malukas securing 12th position and Santino Ferrucci placing 14th, effectively utilizing their Penske setup information.
Will Power, IndyCar's all-time qualifying leader, reflected on the disappointing session: "I lacked a good out lap to get some good front tire temp. We were good in every single session except the one that counted. When it came time to do it, it wasn't there."
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