Ferrucci claims Foyt’s first pole position for 10 years in Portland · RaceFans

Santino Ferrucci set two laps quick enough for pole position in the Grand Prix of Portland.

The Foyt driver beat Will Power by a tenth of a second for his first IndyCar pole and his team’s first since Takuma Sato at Detroit 10 years ago.

Ferrucci’s effort denied Penske – the team Foyt enjoys a technical alliance with – what would have been their sixth pole position of the year.

Championship leader Alex Palou had to settle for third on the grid but could consider himself fortunate after making a rare error during the earlier Fast 12 session. He slid off at turn 12 after setting the quickest time on the primary tyres, but despite losing that lap set a quicker time on the softer alternate rubber to secure his place in the Fast Six. Christian Lundgaard will join Palou on the third row of the grid.

Kyle Kirkwood and Graham Rahal completed the top six but each will take a six-place grid penalty for exceeding their maximum number of engine components.

The three drivers who were quickest on primary tyres in the Fast 12 all failed to make the cut for the final round. Scott Dixon led Romain Grosjean and Marcus Armstrong after their first run on the black-walled tyres, but couldn’t improve sufficiently on the alternates. Grosjean set the fastest time on softs at one stage before others improved.

Colton Herta had a scruffy run on alternate tyres, running off-track at the exit of turn seven and picking up dirt on his tyres. Marcus Ericsson joined his Andretti team mate in elimination.

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Josef Newgarden also failed to progress beyond the second round after his engine hit the rev limiter at the end of his final lap. However penalties for drivers ahead means he will move up from seventh to fifth on the grid, followed by Grosjean, Armstrong, Herta, Dixon and Ericsson.

McLaren endured another tough qualifying session as none of their three drivers reached the second round. Pato O’Ward was a surprisingly low 12th in the first group against weaker competition than those in the second.