The upcoming Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto is set to showcase a highly competitive race featuring familiar faces in the front row. Defending champion Colton Herta has clinched pole position for the race, marking his first pole of the season and a significant achievement for Andretti Global, known for their prowess on street courses. Herta is joined on the front row by Alex Palou, who leads the IndyCar points standings with a comfortable margin over his competitors.
Herta has demonstrated his skill in Toronto, having previously held pole position in three of the past four races at this venue. Despite his impressive qualifying record, he has only managed to secure one victory in Toronto, which occurred in 2024. In a recent statement, Herta reflected on the team's capabilities saying, "I think it’s just what this team is capable of around here for the street courses. We continue to be a dominant force in the league for that style of racing." He acknowledged the pressures of qualifying, admitting he was close to being eliminated in the initial rounds.
Clocking in at an impressive time of 59.8320 seconds on the 11-turn, 2.874-kilometre course situated within Toronto's fairgrounds, Herta now aims to convert his pole position into a race victory. Although he remains winless this season, he boasts three top-five finishes and is determined to improve, emphasizing the need for focus and consistency during the race: "It’s a tough sport, so any little thing that we drop the ball on, it creates a big impact."
Palou, who has been dominant this season with seven wins, four pole positions, and a total of 515 points, expressed the challenges that come with starting second. His qualifying lap was a mere 0.2758 seconds slower than Herta's. "It’s never easy to start second... If the person in third is awake, they’re usually able to pass the person on the outside. We’ll see what we can do," Palou remarked, indicating his strategy to navigate the initial turns effectively.
Behind Herta and Palou, the grid is rounded out by Marcus Armstrong in third and Will Power in fourth. Notably, Scott Dixon, a four-time champion in Toronto, qualified 11th but faces a six-position penalty due to an unapproved engine change. Dixon remains a formidable presence in the series, second only to Michael Andretti in all-time wins at this track.
The race will also highlight Toronto's Devlin DeFrancesco, who is the only Canadian participating, qualifying in 26th position. The drivers faced some challenges in practice, particularly due to a significant bump on Lake Shore Boulevard, leading race officials to repave the area overnight. While Herta noted improvements in track conditions, stating, "It’s much better. Yeah, it was pretty brutal yesterday," Palou expressed skepticism, stating that the fix did not dramatically alter the driving experience at that part of the course.
Your attention is drawn to both the excitement and intensity as the drivers prepare for the race. With eager fans and a competitive lineup, the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto promises to be a thrilling event as the racers look to showcase their skills on this iconic street circuit.
