2025 IndyCar Thermal Club Grand Prix

Photography by Craig Edwards

The 2025 IndyCar season continued with its second round at the Thermal Club, which hosted its first official points-paying event. Under clear skies and with no caution periods, the race unfolded smoothly, though it offered limited drama. Still, the event provided valuable insight into early-season form across the grid.

Official race results can be found here: https://www.motorsport.com/indycar/results/2025/the-thermal-club/

Palou Continued His Dominance

# 10 - Alex Palou - DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda Craig R. Edwards — Alex Palou delivered a victory to the DHL Chip Ganassi Racing team driving the #10 in Sunday’s The Thermal Club INDYCAR Grand Prix.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou maintained his impressive momentum by securing a second consecutive victory. His decisive performance in the final stint, which included key overtakes, underscored his strong form and further solidified his position as a leading title contender. As Palou extended his advantage, the remainder of the field found themselves under increasing pressure. With few mistakes to capitalize on, teams and drivers recognized the importance of responding quickly to keep the championship race competitive.

Results Varied Across the Grid

# 5 - Pato O'Ward - Arrow McLaren Chevrolet Craig R. Edwards — Pato O’Ward kicks up some dust on his way out of Pit Lane.

Arrow McLaren achieved a strong result, with both Pato O’Ward and Christian Lundgaard finishing on the podium. Their performance represented a significant improvement following modest showings in the season opener at St. Petersburg.

Will Power delivered a standout drive for Team Penske, recovering from a poor qualifying position to finish sixth. His 15-place gain was the most of any driver, and his effort may prove meaningful as the season progresses.

# 12 - Will Power - Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet Craig R. Edwards — Will Power in the #12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet setlles into Turn 15, while the fans watch from the Clubhouse stands.

Not all teams enjoyed success. Marcus Ericsson of Andretti Global, despite a promising qualifying run, dropped back after an early off-track excursion and later spin, ultimately finishing 21st. Prema Racing faced a challenging weekend marked by mechanical issues and contact between teammates, which resulted in both drivers finishing outside the top 20. Opening-lap contact also hampered Scott McLaughlin and Devlin DeFrancesco, derailing their races before they had a chance to gain ground.

# 3 - Scott McLaughlin - XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet Craig R. Edwards — XPEL Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin waits to be relaesed from his pit box for the start of Saturday’s Practice 2.

Looking Ahead

While the Thermal Club Grand Prix lacked high-stakes drama, it offered an early glimpse into the developing hierarchy of the 2025 season. With Palou in commanding form, rival teams will need to respond swiftly to remain in contention as the series moves forward.