P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Alex Palou has said he think it is better to “have your closest competitor close” as Pato O’Ward lines up behind him for this afternoon’s race.
2025 champion-elect, Alex Palou expressed his satisfaction that his championship rival, Pato O’Ward, will start today’s race in the second position as it allows him to monitor him closely. Knocking O’Ward off the top spot on his final qualifying lap, Palou’s time was three-tenths quicker than O’Ward’s, earning him the pole position and an additional championship point, maintaining a 100-point lead. In the post-qualifying press conference, Palou mentioned that having O’Ward upfront will ensure similar strategies, aiding him and Chip Ganassi in covering his rival. Palou stated his preference for a close competitor on the same strategy in order to challenge and make the race more engaging.
Regarding his pole lap, Palou described it as “super comfortable” and felt he had maximized his performance. When asked about his strategy, Palou hinted at rain concerns without disclosing much. O’Ward, speaking after Palou, acknowledged the gap in their lap times and praised Palou’s strong performance in qualifying, labeling him the “master” of this season. O’Ward admitted to a less than perfect qualifying session and emphasized the importance of being next to each other in the title chase.
