Key takeaways
- Seventh pole of 2026: Álex Palou dominated qualifying at the Washington Grand Prix, setting a 56.899s lap in the Fast Six to secure his 7th pole position of the 2026 IndyCar season.
- Championship bonus point: By taking top spot in qualifying, Palou earned a championship point to extend his leads in the Drivers’ Standings over title rival Kyle Kirkwood.
Álex Palou extended his dominant form in the 2026 IndyCar Series by securing pole position for the inaugural Grand Prix of Washington. Driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, the Spaniard posted a 56.899s lap in the Fast Six session around the 2.74 km circuit near the White House and Capitol Hill.
The pole performance also earned Palou a valuable championship point, further increasing his lead over title competitor Kyle Kirkwood ahead of Sunday’s race.
The unique Fast Six format saw drivers undertake single-lap shootout runs based on their Q2 classification order. Kirkwood went first but locked up heavily into Turn 1, setting a benchmark of 57.466s. Palou took to the track next and blew past Kirkwood’s time by 0.567 seconds.
Scott McLaughlin placed his Team Penske Chevrolet in 3rd position with a 57.620s, while Christian Rasmussen achieved a career-best 4th on the grid for Ed Carpenter Racing (57.889s). Marcus Armstrong (58.814s) and David Malukas (no time set after locking up into Turn 1) rounded out the Fast Six in 5th and 6th.
Meanwhile, several notable names failed to advance past the opening group stages, including Scott Dixon (14th), Josef Newgarden (16th), Will Power (17th), Marcus Ericsson (19th), and Graham Rahal (25th).
IndyCar action at the Washington GP concludes on Sunday with the race scheduled for 13:00 local time. GRANDE PRÊMIO will provide full live coverage of the 15th round of the 2026 season. Follow all paddock updates on our news page.
Full Qualifying Results: 2026 IndyCar Washington Grand Prix
| Pos | Driver | Team | Engine | Fast Six / Phase Reached |
| 1 | Álex Palou | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 56.899 (Fast Six) |
| 2 | Kyle Kirkwood | Andretti Autosport | Honda | 57.466 (Fast Six) |
| 3 | Scott McLaughlin | Team Penske | Chevrolet | 57.620 (Fast Six) |
| 4 | Christian Rasmussen | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | 57.889 (Fast Six) |
| 5 | Marcus Armstrong | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda | 58.814 (Fast Six) |
| 6 | David Malukas | Team Penske | Chevrolet | No Time (Fast Six) |
| 7 | Pato O’Ward | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet | 57.410 (Q2) |
| 8 | Dennis Hauger | Dale Coyne Racing | Honda | 57.420 (Q2) |
| 9 | Christian Lundgaard | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet | 57.510 (Q2) |
| 10 | Felix Rosenqvist | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda | 57.650 (Q2) |
| 11 | Caio Collet | AJ Foyt Racing | Chevrolet | 57.795 (Q2) |
| 12 | Nolan Siegel | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet | 57.810 (Q2) |
| 13 | Kyffin Simpson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | Group 2 (Penalized – Red Flag) |
| 14 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | Group 2 |
| 15 | Will Power | Andretti Autosport | Honda | Group 1 |
| 16 | Josef Newgarden | Team Penske | Chevrolet | Group 2 |
| 17 | Marcus Ericsson | Andretti Autosport | Honda | Group 1 |
| 18 | Louis Foster | Rahal Letterman Lanigan | Honda | Group 2 |
| 19 | Alexander Rossi | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | Group 1 |
| 20 | Mick Schumacher | Rahal Letterman Lanigan | Honda | Group 2 |
| 21 | Rinus VeeKay | Juncos Hollinger Racing | Chevrolet | Group 1 |
| 22 | Santino Ferrucci | AJ Foyt Racing | Chevrolet | Group 2 |
| 23 | Romain Grosjean | Dale Coyne Racing | Honda | Group 1 |
| 24 | Sting Ray Robb | Juncos Hollinger Racing | Chevrolet | Group 2 |
| 25 | Graham Rahal | Rahal Letterman Lanigan | Honda |
Session schedule: Washington Grand Prix 2026
| Session | Local time (EDT) | UTC |
| Race | Sunday, August 23 – 13:00 | 17:00 |
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. How many pole positions has Álex Palou won in the 2026 IndyCar season?
Álex Palou has won 7 pole positions during the 2026 season following his qualifying result in Washington.
2. How did the Fast Six format work for the Washington GP qualifying?
The Fast Six was conducted as a single-lap shootout, with each driver going out individually in an order selected by the teams based on their Q2 results.
3. Where did rookie Caio Collet qualify for Sunday’s race?
Caio Collet qualified 11th overall on the grid after making it into Q2.
