P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Alex Palou has praised his teammate at Chip Ganassi Kyffin Simpson after he achieved his career best qualifying position.
Alex Palou praised Kyffin Simpson’s exceptional qualifying result at Mid-Ohio, emphasizing that it wasn’t due to luck. Simpson, who joined IndyCar in 2024 with Chip Ganassi, qualified third in the recent session, outperforming Palou’s championship rival Kyle Kirkwood. This achievement marked Simpson’s best start in IndyCar, as he had never previously been in the Top Six. Despite Palou benefiting from Simpson preventing Kirkwood from challenging for pole position, Palou’s admiration was directed towards Simpson’s young age and impressive speed. Simpson, currently ranked 16th in the championship standings, has shown strong performance with two top 10 finishes in the 2025 season, including a fifth-place finish at the Detroit Grand Prix and a sixth-place finish at Road America. As one of the drivers with a saved set of red tires, Simpson expressed confidence in the team’s pace and strategy for the upcoming race, while Palou acknowledged the significant advantage of having extra alternate tire options.
