Alex Palou's Strategic Tire Choice Leads to Second Straight IndyCar Win at Thermal
Alex Palou secured his second consecutive victory of the 2025 IndyCar season at the inaugural Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix, using superior tire strategy to overcome Pato O'Ward's dominant early performance.
IndyCar racing at Thermal Club
Despite O'Ward leading 50 of the 65 laps from pole position, Chip Ganassi Racing's strategic decision to save new Firestone alternate tires for the final stint proved decisive. Palou erased an 11-second deficit after the final pit stop, overtaking O'Ward on lap 56 to claim victory by a margin of 10.1 seconds.
The podium was completed by O'Ward in second and his McLaren teammate Christian Lundgaard in third. The top six finishers were:
- Alex Palou (Chip Ganassi Racing - Honda)
- Pato O'Ward (McLaren - Chevrolet)
- Christian Lundgaard (McLaren - Chevrolet)
- Colton Herta (Andretti Global)
- Felix Rosenqvist (Meyer Shank Racing)
- Will Power (Team Penske)
The race, held in 90-degree weather at the 3.067-mile, 17-turn road course in California's Coachella Valley, drew approximately 5,000 spectators. Notable incidents included Scott McLaughlin's early spin after contact with Devlin DeFrancesco and Callum Ilott's first-lap accident.
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The victory strengthens Palou's position in the championship standings, with the Spaniard demonstrating both strategic excellence and commanding race pace throughout the event.
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