Who is in pole position for 2023 Indy 500?

In a remarkable feat, Alex Palou claimed the pole position for the upcoming Indianapolis 500 with a record-breaking performance on Sunday. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver blazed around the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, clocking an astonishing average speed of 234.217 mph over four laps.

Palou in pole position for Indy 500

Palou’s remarkable achievement surpassed the previous record of 234.046 mph set by Scott Dixon last year, solidifying his status as the driver to beat in this year’s race, scheduled for next Sunday. Speaking about his pole position, Palou expressed his immense satisfaction, saying, “It means the world to me now, to the boys, to everybody,” while acknowledging the contributions of the Chip Ganassi Racing team.

Remarkably, this marks the third consecutive pole position captured by Ganassi cars, with Dixon securing the top spot in the previous two years. Praising Palou’s outstanding performance, team owner Chip Ganassi stated, “He did exactly what he needed to do. He’ll be the first to tell you it was a total team effort. We’re going to sail into the 500 starting on the pole. We’re pretty excited.”

Veekay and Rosenqvist first row

Joining Palou on the first row will be Rinus VeeKay of Ed Carpenter Racing, who secured a speed of 234.211 mph, and Felix Rosenqvist of Arrow McLaren, who clocked 234.114 mph. VeeKay expressed slight disappointment, saying, “I got everything out of it. Wish I had just a little more,” acknowledging the competitive nature of the race while eagerly anticipating the main event.

The second row will feature Santino Ferrucci of A.J. Foyt Racing, Pato O’Ward of McLaren, and Scott Dixon. Alexander Rossi, Takuma Sato, and Tony Kanaan, all driving for McLaren, will compose the third row. Defending champion Marcus Ericsson, representing Ganassi, secured the 10th position during qualifying but expressed mixed feelings about his car’s performance, citing struggles throughout the weekend. Despite this, Ericsson remains determined and optimistic about his prospects.

Average speed record

Notably, the 33-car field boasts an impressive average speed of 232.184 mph, surpassing last year’s record of 231.203 mph. This indicates the heightened level of competition and sets the stage for a thrilling and high-speed battle at the iconic Indianapolis 500.