Scott McLaughlin left the competition behind in qualifying for the Grand Prix of Monterey, held at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, on Saturday (5). The Penske driver set a 1:09.136 as the clock expired to claim pole position for the final round of the 2026 IndyCar season.
McLaughlin edged Palou by just 0.018s to claim his third pole of the season, although it will be only the second time the New Zealander starts from the front in 2026. The Penske driver was fastest in qualifying for Milwaukee 1 and received the pole award, but started only 10th because of an engine-change penalty.
Felix Rosenqvist also came close to pole but will start third after posting a 1:09.193, just 0.057s off McLaughlin. The Swede, who will leave Meyer Shank Racing after this round, will share the second row with Alexander Rossi. The Carpenter driver recorded a 1:09.324 in the Fast 6.
In the battle for second place in the championship, Christian Lundgaard set the fifth-fastest time for McLaren but will start 11th because of his engine-change penalty. That promotes David Malukas to fifth after he posted a 1:12.846 in the decisive session.
Eliminated in Q2, Kyle Kirkwood will start sixth for Andretti after recording a 1:09.572. The fourth row will feature fellow Andretti driver Marcus Ericsson and Ganassi’s Kyffin Simpson, while Marcus Armstrong and Louis Foster complete the top 10 for Meyer Shank and RLL, respectively.
IndyCar returns on Sunday (6) for the Grand Prix of Monterey, the 2026 season finale, at Laguna Seca.
How IndyCar qualifying unfolded at Laguna Seca
Group 1: Pato O’Ward, Mick Schumacher, Louis Foster, Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon, Rinus VeeKay, David Malukas, Alexander Rossi, Kyffin Simpson, Romain Grosjean, Santino Ferrucci and Kyle Kirkwood
The green flag waved for the 12 drivers in the first group at 2:36 p.m. local time, beginning the 10-minute segment.
On the opening runs, Foster set a 1:10.039 and returned to the pits after three minutes. Ferrucci took over at the top a minute later with a 1:09.946. Behind them, O’Ward, McLaughlin, Malukas and Kirkwood occupied the top six at the halfway point.
After a trip to the pits, the drivers returned for the final part of the segment on soft tires. As the tires reached their ideal operating window, lap times began to fall in the closing moments. With 1m30s remaining, Schumacher moved into first with a 1:09.572, but soon dropped to fourth after David Malukas set a 1:09.409 and brought McLaughlin and O’Ward with him.
When the checkered flag fell, Malukas, McLaughlin, Kirkwood, Rossi, Foster and Simpson occupied the top six, separated by just 0.136s. Although several drivers were still on flying laps, nobody outside the top six managed to break into the qualifying zone before time expired.
O’Ward, Schumacher, Dixon, VeeKay, Ferrucci and Grosjean were therefore eliminated.
Group 2: Álex Palou, Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Felix Rosenqvist, Marcus Armstrong, Christian Lundgaard, Marcus Ericsson, Dennis Hauger, Christian Rasmussen, Graham Rahal, Caio Collet, Sting Ray Robb and Nolan Siegel
The second group took to the track at 2:52 p.m. local time, with the 10-minute clock starting once the first driver crossed the line to begin a flying lap.
With six minutes remaining, Siegel was fastest with a 1:10.169, ahead of Rasmussen, Palou and Collet, who had set a 1:10.491 on soft tires. Rosenqvist and Lundgaard completed the top six at that stage.
All 13 drivers then headed to the pits before returning on soft tires for the closing minutes. The times only began to tumble in the final minute.
Rosenqvist moved into first with a 1:09.418, but Palou immediately went faster with a 1:09.139. Power moved into third with a 1:09.861, just ahead of Collet, who posted a 1:09.902.
Ericsson jumped to second with a 1:09.248 with 15 seconds remaining. Siegel and Rasmussen moved into fifth and sixth, pushing Collet down to seventh when the clock expired.
Armstrong, however, set the fourth-fastest time with a 1:09.591 and brought Collet through with him, with the Brazilian responding with a 1:09.685.
Palou, Ericsson, Rosenqvist, Armstrong, Collet and Lundgaard therefore advanced to Q2, while Power, Siegel, Rasmussen, Newgarden, Rahal, Hauger and Robb were eliminated.
Q2: Malukas, McLaughlin, Kirkwood, Rossi, Foster, Simpson, Palou, Ericsson, Rosenqvist, Armstrong, Collet and Lundgaard
The 12 drivers advancing to Q2 received the green flag at 3:13 p.m. local time, with everyone heading out immediately.
Lundgaard set the first benchmark in the 1:09s range after just three minutes, recording a 1:09.799 ahead of Armstrong and Collet, who had posted 1:10.330 and 1:10.651 respectively.
Malukas took over at the top after 4m30s with a 1:09.724, while Rossi moved into third with a 1:10.078. Before everyone headed back to the pits for soft tires, McLaughlin was sixth with a 1:11.027.
The final minute produced plenty of changes among the top six. Palou moved into first with a 1:09.149, while McLaughlin jumped to second with a 1:09.275. Rosenqvist was third with a 1:09.409.
Rossi then displaced the Swede with a 1:09.400, but dropped to fourth after Malukas posted a 1:09.320.
Kirkwood set a 1:09.572 and appeared to have secured sixth, but he missed out on the Fast 6 after Lundgaard posted a 1:09.324 as the clock expired to take fourth.
Collet recorded a 1:10.144 to finish Q2 12th, but he will start 18th because of his engine-change penalty.
Fast 6: Palou, McLaughlin, Malukas, Lundgaard, Rossi and Rosenqvist
The green flag waved at 3:35 p.m. local time for the final fight for pole position.
Palou and Rosenqvist completed installation laps, while McLaughlin, Malukas and Rossi immediately went for flying laps. The Carpenter driver was fastest at that point with a 1:10.658, while Lundgaard remained in the pits.
Palou set a 1:09.154 in the final minute, with Rosenqvist immediately behind on 1:09.193.
McLaughlin then moved to the top as the clock hit zero, setting a 1:09.136 to secure pole position.
Rossi, Lundgaard and Malukas followed, completing the final order of the Fast 6.
IndyCar 2026: Grand Prix of Monterey starting grid
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | S. MCLAUGHLIN | Team Penske | 1:09.1363 | — | 38 |
| 2 | A. PALOU | Chip Ganassi Racing | 1:09.1540 | +0.0177 | 38 |
| 3 | F. ROSENQVIST | Meyer Shank w/ Curb-Agajanian | 1:09.1931 | +0.0568 | 36 |
| 4 | A. ROSSI | ECR | 1:09.3247 | +0.1884 | 36 |
| 5 | D. MALUKAS | Team Penske | 1:12.8461 | +3.7098 | 36 |
| 6 | K. KIRKWOOD | Andretti Global w/ Curb-Agajanian | 1:09.5726 | +0.4363 | 27 |
| 7 | M. ERICSSON | Andretti Global | 1:09.6961 | +0.5598 | 29 |
| 8 | K. SIMPSON | Chip Ganassi Racing | 1:09.6993 | +0.5630 | 31 |
| 9 | M. ARMSTRONG | Meyer Shank w/ Curb-Agajanian | 1:09.9951 | +0.8588 | 27 |
| 10 | L. FOSTER | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | 1:10.1123 | +0.9760 | 21 |
| 11 | C. LUNDGAARD | Arrow McLaren | 1:10.2227 | +1.0864 | 32 |
| 12 | P. O’WARD | Arrow McLaren | 1:09.5544 | +0.4181 | 16 |
| 13 | W. POWER | Andretti Global | 1:09.8617 | +0.7254 | 14 |
| 14 | M. SCHUMACHER | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | 1:09.5721 | +0.4358 | 14 |
| 15 | N. SIEGEL | Arrow McLaren | 1:09.8620 | +0.7257 | 12 |
| 16 | S. DIXON | Chip Ganassi Racing | 1:09.6184 | +0.4821 | 16 |
| 17 | C. RASMUSSEN | ECR | 1:09.8726 | +0.7363 | 12 |
| 18 | C. COLLET | A.J. Foyt Enterprises | 1:10.1446 | +1.0083 | 29 |
| 19 | R. VEEKAY | Juncos Hollinger Racing | 1:09.8411 | +0.7048 | 14 |
| 20 | J. NEWGARDEN | Team Penske | 1:09.9549 | +0.8186 | 14 |
| 21 | S. FERRUCCI | A.J. Foyt Enterprises | 1:09.9460 | +0.8097 | 14 |
| 22 | G. RAHAL | Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | 1:09.9593 | +0.8230 | 14 |
| 23 | R. GROSJEAN | Dale Coyne Racing | 1:10.3840 | +1.2477 | 14 |
| 24 | D. HAUGER | Dale Coyne Racing | 1:09.9611 | +0.8248 | 14 |
| 25 | S. RAY ROBB | Juncos Hollinger Racing | 1:10.1619 | +1.0256 | 14 |
FAQ
When is the 2026 IndyCar race at Laguna Seca?
The Grand Prix of Monterey takes place Sunday, September 6, at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The race is scheduled for 95 laps.
Who is starting on pole for the Grand Prix of Monterey?
Scott McLaughlin will start from pole after setting a 1:09.136 in the Fast 6, beating Álex Palou by 0.018s.
Has Álex Palou won at Laguna Seca before?
Yes. Palou won the previous two IndyCar races at Laguna Seca and arrives at the 2026 finale as the newly crowned five-time champion.
