Palou Claims IndyCar Pole at Mid-Ohio with Hybrid Era in Full Swing
July 3, 2023 – IndyCar News
Alex Palou’s adaptability to IndyCar’s new hybrid era was on full display Saturday at Mid-Ohio, as he led all three rounds of knockout qualifying and secured pole by a razor-thin margin of 0.0024s over Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward. This marks Palou’s second consecutive pole and third in the last six races this IndyCar 2023 season.
“Yeah, it was tight,” said Palou, driver of the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. “It was tight all qualifying. Fortunately, we had a really fast car since practice one. Q1 was good, Q2, as well. We made it through, which is the target.”
The 13-turn, 2.258-mile natural terrain road course has been Palou’s playground this weekend, with the reigning and two-time series champion showcasing his mastery of the hybrid technology. IndyCar’s hybrid era, which began at the midpoint of the season, pairs a 2.2-liter twin-turbocharged V6 internal combustion engine with supercapacitor hybrid technology, offering over 800 horsepower at times.
Palou’s ability to navigate the challenges of the new technology was evident, even after admitting to an issue in Turn 4 during the second practice that needed correcting before qualifying. “Yeah, I would say on braking it changes a little bit, and also we have a little bit more weight than we used to,” Palou noted, referring to the additional 30kg the hybrid unit adds.
Despite the challenges, Palou and O’Ward continue to push the limits of the hybrid technology, fine-tuning their skills to maximize its potential. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure if we were able to compare our data, like 100 percent of it, we would see differences in ways to get half a tenth here, half a tenth there,” Palou said. “Not from driving, just from the pure regen and deployment. I’m sure we are… I don’t know if 70% or 90% there, but I’m not sure we’re getting 100% of it.”
Palou’s pole position is a testament to his commitment to adapting to the hybrid era, and he’s excited to take on the IndyCar schedule with this new technology. “Yeah, super happy to start on the front row tomorrow, and the best way to kick off the hybrid era.” With the IndyCar season heating up, Palou’s performance at Mid-Ohio sets the tone for an exciting second half of the season.
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