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Alex Palou Dominates at Thermal Club Grand Prix
Alex Palou has maintained his remarkable start to the 2025 IndyCar Series season by securing victory at the Thermal Club Grand Prix in California. As the reigning champion, Palou aims to clinch his fourth title this year and has successfully won the first two races of the season, having also triumphed at the St. Petersburg opener.
Crossing the finish line 10 seconds ahead of his closest competitor, Pato O’Ward, Palou showcased his dominance, while Christian Lundgaard rounded out the podium in third position at the Thermal Club circuit. The race featured the same trio of drivers who began in the top three, with O’Ward claiming pole position alongside Lundgaard in an Arrow McLaren front-row lockout.
Though O’Ward got off to an ideal start, Palou managed to slip past Lundgaard on the inside during the race’s first corner. Lundgaard swiftly reclaimed second place at Turn 2 just as Marcus Ericsson experienced difficulties, dropping down from fifth after going off track.
Ericsson’s misfortune continued as he spun out at Turn 9 on lap 16, marking a challenging day for the Andretti driver, while the early stages of the race saw little close competition.
Action began to pick up around lap 49 when Palou re-entered the fray from the pit lane just behind Lundgaard, reigniting the fight for second. It was on lap 50 that Palou made a bold move at Turn 1 in an attempt to overtake Lundgaard, but the latter managed to regain his position momentarily.
The two drivers then engaged in a spirited tussle, trading positions until Palou finally secured the advantage following Turn 6. With Lundgaard behind him, Palou focused on closing in on O’Ward, who was 10 seconds ahead.
On lap 56, Palou executed a decisive maneuver to take the lead, overtaking O’Ward at Turn 7. From that point on, the three-time IndyCar champion went uncontested for the remaining laps, sealing his 13th series victory and extending his lead in the championship standings to 39 points ahead of O’Ward.
“What an amazing weekend,” expressed Palou, reflecting on his performance. “Honestly, we’ve had a really fast car since practice. They executed very well. Everybody at Chip Ganassi Racing, the #10 car, executed perfectly.”
Completing the top five were Colton Herta and Felix Rosenqvist, with Rosenqvist notably rising from ninth on the starting grid. Will Power made a significant comeback from 21st to secure sixth place, while Marcus Armstrong, Kyle Kirkwood, Alexander Rossi, and Scott Dixon rounded out the top ten finishes.
IndyCar racing will resume on April 13 for the season’s third round at Long Beach, promising more excitement in the race for the championship.
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www.autosport.com