Palou started seventh on used reds and was running sixth after Felix Rosenqvist’s mechanical failure. Barry Wanser, strategist on the #10 Chip Ganassi Racing-Honda, called Palou to the pits early for the first round of stops – four laps before polesitter and initial leader Pato O’Ward, and five laps before McLaughlin – and Palou was sensationally fast on his fresh set of alternate compound tires, setting the fastest lap of the race on Lap 29.
However, his attempt to undercut the leaders was only partially successful because the field was brought under yellow and slowed while McLaughlin was in the pits, so although the Ganassi driver cleared Simon Pagenaud, Colton Herta, Scott Dixon and even O’Ward – who was being plagued with power issues – McLaughlin’s Penske was able to assume the lead.
