Alex Palou claimed his fifth pole position of the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season today at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, further solidifying his lead in the championship standings. This pole extends Palou’s advantage as he positions himself to pursue his third consecutive drivers’ championship.
Palou, the series points leader, currently holds a commanding 100-point gap over the second-place competitor after earning this bonus point. With two prior victories at Laguna Seca in 2022 and 2024, he is aiming for a third win at this venue to reinforce his championship campaign heading into the next race weekend.
Strong Showings from Competitors and Team Performances
Colton Herta of Andretti Global will start from third on the grid and is a noteworthy contender, having previously won at Laguna Seca in both 2019 and 2021. Herta’s consistent performance contributes to Honda’s five-race winning streak at this track since the IndyCar series returned in 2019.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing will have two drivers within the top ten positions; Graham Rahal qualified eighth and rookie Louis Foster secured ninth place. Meyer Shank Racing’s Marcus Armstrong rounds out the top ten starters.
Honda’s Continued Dominance in the 2025 Season
Honda remains powerful in its pursuit of a 12th win this year in the IndyCar series, with Alex Palou responsible for seven wins to date, including the prestigious Indianapolis 500. Kyle Kirkwood has taken three victories including the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, and Scott Dixon has two wins, including the recent Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.
The manufacturer leads Chevrolet in the standings by 205 points, holding a 1223 to 1018 advantage following an impressive run of 11 wins in 13 races.
Qualifying Results Highlight Top Drivers at Monterey
The official qualifying order at the Java House Grand Prix of Monterey is as follows:
- Alex Palou – 1st
- Colton Herta – 3rd
- Graham Rahal – 8th
- Louis Foster (Rookie) – 9th
- Marcus Armstrong – 10th
- Felix Rosenqvist – 12th
- Kyffin Simpson – 14th
- Marcus Ericsson – 15th
- Rinus VeeKay – 17th
- Kyle Kirkwood – 18th
- Scott Dixon – 19th
- Jacob Abel (Rookie) – 21st
- Devlin DeFrancesco – 27th
Drivers Reflect on Their Qualifying Performances
Alex Palou expressed his satisfaction with the team’s pace and the car’s performance throughout the weekend:
“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 also shared his outlook after securing third place:
“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
Upcoming Race Details and Broadcast Information
The Java House Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca will take place on Sunday, with live coverage airing on Fox starting at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET. Fans can expect an intense battle as Palou aims to maintain his championship momentum and Honda seeks to extend its winning streak.