Romain Grosjean led Alex Palou away as Pato O’Ward swooped inside Palou into Turn 1, but when O’Ward also tried to get around Grosjean at Turn 5 he lost momentum, and Palou was able to draft by him into Turn 8 to reclaim second.
Scott Dixon got around Scott McLaughlin, and all three Penskes were struggling for early pace on primary tires, although Josef Newgarden did move up to sixth, but only after side-by-side contact with Felix Rosenqvist at Turn 1 that looped the Arrow McLaren into a spin.