BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Alex Palou told me, Friday, that entering this weekend at Barber Motorsports Park second in points “doesn’t change anything” about his strategy.
Saturday put action to words. Well, yes and no.
“I mean, it’s not for the championship,” he said. “At the same time, it is. I mean, we’re just trying to do the best we can every single weekend, every single session.
“I feel once you get closer to the end, maybe you’re just trying to go a bit more aggressive or less, depending on where you are in the championship. But I’m talking like last round or last two rounds.
“I feel now everybody’s just trying to get the pole and trying to get the win, because you know, ultimately that gives you the most points.
“Yeah, we’re not really worried or thinking too much about the championship. It’s too early. At the same time, we need to get as many good results as we can.”
Just as he did in 2025, the driver of the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda won the pole for the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix with a lap of 1:06.234. It’s his 13th career pole and first of the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.
“Yeah, very happy obviously,” he said. “I was very happy with the car this morning in practice two, compared to yesterday. Feel like yesterday, we were missing a little bit of balance. Conditions today helped a ton.
“It was a very close qualifying. We just wanted to make sure once we’re in Fast Six, although we know we’re not going to have two sets of brand-new alternates, to try to go for pole, and we did.
“Yeah, happy. Hopefully, future Alex is going to figure out how to balance against new alternates. Yeah, that’s an issue for tomorrow.”
David Malukas clocked in second with a lap of 1:06.347. Graham Rahal timed in third with a lap of 1:06.518.
“I think (the car is) very good,” Malukas said. “From practice one, practice two, our pace, on primary tires, but on reruns, we seem to have pace. Lap time was there. I think we’re in for a good race tomorrow.”
Marcus Armstrong (1:06.551), Kyle Kirkwood (1:06.832), and Romain Grosjean, who ran wide into the grass in Turn 9 during the final round of qualifying, rounded out the Firestone Fast Six (1:06.836).
Santino Ferrucci, Marcus Ericsson, Josef Newgarden, and Christian Lundgaard rounded out the top-10.
During the first round of qualifying, Will Power’s brakes went to the floor, and his car plowed into the foam, tire, and armco barrier in Turn 5. He was seen and released from the IndyCar medical unit.
Sting Ray Robb interfered with Grosjean’s flying lap in the first round. INDYCAR disallowed his two fastest laps, as penalty.
