Felix Rosenqvist of Meyer Shank Racing secured the top qualifying position among Honda drivers at the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland held at Portland International Raceway. The Swedish driver will start from the front row tomorrow after penalties affected the original pole sitter. Matching his best start of the season, Rosenqvist’s P2 spot follows a previous strong P2 finish in the Farm to Finish 275 at Iowa Speedway.
Championship Leader Palou Begins Race in Fifth Position
Alex Palou, racing for Chip Ganassi Racing and currently leading the championship, qualified sixth but will start fifth due to penalties impacting other drivers. Although Palou encountered difficulties during the Firestone Fast Six round, including losing his fastest lap, he remains positioned well for tomorrow’s race. Palou is close to clinching his third consecutive championship and his fourth title in five years after an impressive season with eight victories out of 14 races.
Honda’s Strong Performance This Season
Honda is positioned to secure their first manufacturers’ championship since 2021, demonstrating dominance with 12 wins in 14 events during 2025, including the prestigious Indianapolis 500. This achievement ties Honda’s best record for wins in a season, matching the 2023 mark, and still leaves three races remaining. Holding a commanding 224-point lead over competitors with a 1314-1090 advantage in the manufacturers’ championship, Honda’s season has been exceptional.
Full Honda Qualifying Results for Portland
The qualifying results for Honda drivers at the Grand Prix of Portland are as follows:
- Felix Rosenqvist – 3rd
- Alex Palou – 6th
- Marcus Armstrong – 8th
- Scott Dixon – 10th
- Marcus Ericsson – 11th
- Kyffin Simpson – 12th
- Devlin DeFrancesco – 14th
- Colton Herta – 16th
- Louis Foster (R) – 17th
- Kyle Kirkwood – 20th
- Graham Rahal – 22nd
- Rinus VeeKay – 23rd
- Jacob Abel (R) – 27th
R denotes rookies in the field. These drivers represent teams including Meyer Shank Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Andretti Global, and Dale Coyne Racing, all fielding Honda-powered cars.
Insights from Leading Honda Drivers After Qualifying
Reflecting on his qualifying performance, Felix Rosenqvist explained,
“It was kind of a weird qualifying. It was hard to feel the tires, sometimes they’re in, sometimes they’re not. Q2 we had a mega lap, but I couldn’t really do the same in the Firestone Fast Six. And then someone went off in front of me, and it was kind of a scrappy run. But P3 is good, that will be front row for tomorrow, so that’s a good day for us!” — Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing Honda
Alex Palou commented on his session, adding,
“We were definitely fighting; we were trying to go for pole. It’s always good when you’re in the Fast Six, but you never want to crash in the Fast Six. I’m really happy with how the car has been feeling all weekend and the speed we have been having. Starting P5 after a penalty someone else has, and that’s going to be a great place to start tomorrow!” — Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda
Upcoming Race Broadcast and Expectations
The BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland is scheduled to broadcast live on Fox at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET on Sunday. Given the strong qualifying positions of Honda drivers and the championship stakes for Alex Palou and the manufacturer’s title, the race promises to be a critical and tightly contested event. Honda’s recent record-breaking season and Rosenqvist’s front-row start add to the anticipation of significant happenings at Portland International Raceway tomorrow.