For the second time in series history (and first as a points race), the Thermal Club welcomed the NTT IndyCar Series for an early season showdown. Free from the gimmicks of the $1 Million Challenge and blessed with beautiful weather, the facility was given its best chance at a strong race weekend.
In the end, the race itself was fine, if uneventful. The biggest moment came from a broadcast outage, but there were still drivers and teams that helped or hurt their seasons over 65 sunny laps in southern California.
Here are the winners and losers from The Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix.
Winner: Alex Palou stays perfect
Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing
Photo by: Penske Entertainment
It’s a good time to be the champ. Palou was picture-perfect in the closing stint, storming past Arrow McLaren teammates Pato O’Ward and Christian Lundgaard in the final 15 laps to secure his second win in as many tries to open the 2025 season. Which means…
Loser: Every other IndyCar driver
Colton Herta, Andretti Global
Photo by: Penske Entertainment
The IndyCar field has a steep challenge this year. Palou has won three of the past four IndyCar titles and makes few mistakes. The last thing everyone else needs is to fall far behind him and have to hope for the Spaniard to make mistakes when it counts down the stretch.
In his one defeat over the past four years, Palou had only one win and a few early struggles. The Chip Ganassi Racing ace has already topped that win mark to open 2025 and looks untouchable in the key moments of races. If anyone hopes to beat him this year, they’d best find a way to kill his No. 10 team’s momentum – and fast.
Christian Lundhgaard said it best: “It’s tough seeing this guy beat us every single event. We’ve gotta find a way to stop him.”
Winner: FOX Sports gets rid of the cartoon headshots
There were a few subtle efforts to improve from the team at FOX heading into its second IndyCar race weekend. But none were more obvious upon first sight than the removal of the cartoon-style headshots of each driver.
Thank you, FOX. Seriously. Much improved.
Loser: TV viewers, briefly
The Thermal Club’s first IndyCar points race wasn’t the most exciting affair, sure. But I’m positive fans would still like to have watched the whole thing. So it’s a bummer that an electrical issue at the track thrust the event into darkness for 20 minutes.
FOX Sports did what it could and briefly shifted to the competing NASCAR Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. But that’s suboptimal for IndyCar and its smaller, but dedicated fanbase. Not to mention the Thermal Club itself, which hopes to showcase the facility with the event.
Winner: Will Power salvages something for Team Penske
Will Power, Team Penske
Photo by: Penske Entertainment
On a weekend where passing was difficult, Team Penske’s trio of stars all qualifying deep in the field left the organization fighting to salvage anything from the Thermal Club. There wasn’t much to celebrate for two of the team’s drivers, but Will Power made something out of the weekend for his No. 12 team.
The two-time champion put forward a steady march to take a sixth-place finish in Sunday’s race. It was easily the best result for anyone starting outside of the top 10, never mind the top 20. His 15 positions advanced were more than double the next best managed by any other driver (seven – Graham Rahal and Christian Rasmussen).
That’s the kind of recovery run that could make a difference when a title is decided in August.
Loser: Things go from bad to worse for Marcus Ericsson
Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global
Photo by: Penske Entertainment
The 2022 Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson set himself up for a successful afternoon in IndyCar’s first points race at the Thermal Club, making his fourth Fast 6 appearance in 19 races with Andretti Global. But that was where the good times ended for the Swedish star.
Ericsson quickly lost ground when the green flag flew after running wide on the opening lap. He had a quiet stint afterward, but went for a spin in turn 9 after his opening pit stop. That dropped Ericsson to 21st in the opening half of the race.
That’s essentially where the Andretti Global ace stayed stuck from there, finishing 21st at the checkered flag. Considering his fellow top-five starters all finished in the top-five, that has to be a disappointment.
Winner: Arrow McLaren’s Cali double-podium
Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren
Photo by: Penske Entertainment
The disappointment was palpable from Pato O’Ward and Lundgaard in the moments after Palou’s late surge to victory in the Thermal Club. But the fact remains that the team’s best two cars managed to finish on the podium in race weekend with many unknowns.
“We gave it a shot and came up short, but having two cars on the podium is as well of a day as we could have wished for coming into Thermal,” Lundgaard said of the day.
While not a victory, Sunday’s result should put both drivers in the top-four of the early championship standings. If you’d have told them that after finishes of eighth and 11th – the latter coming from 23rd after a qualifying disaster from O’Ward – in St. Pete, I’m sure they would have taken it.
Loser: Prema Racing’s weekend at Thermal
Callum Ilott, Prema Racing
Photo by: Penske Entertainment
It was a long weekend for Prema Racing in California. After a quiet 20th-place debut in St. Pete, Robert Shwartzman’sweekend started going south in the opening practice at Thermal. A fire in the car caused significant damage, forcing his No. 83 team to skip second practice and spend the bulk of the next 24 hours grinding to prepare him to qualify.
Shwartzman was able to set a time in group qualifying, but was last among his group. That left him sitting shotgun on the field heading into Sunday’s race. And while he was able to make some early time on red tires, Shwartzman was hit from behind early by teammate Callum Ilott and kicked off a day that proved difficult for both drivers.
Ilott had to make an extra pit stop for an issue during refueling and faded to 26th. Shwartzman did what he could to salvage the run, but could only manage 22nd as the checkered flag flew.
Loser: Pre-green contact hampers McLaughlin, DeFrancesco
Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske
Photo by: Penske Entertainment
A pair of drivers saw their days undone just as the race was getting underway. Devlin DeFrancesco and Scott McLaughlin collided while coming to the green, sending both drivers around after they rolled off the racing surface.
The pair were able to get rolling, but struggled from there. McLaughlin was hampered by an overheating hybrid unit and wound up six laps down in 27th at race’s end. DeFrancesco continued on, but was issued a penalty for avoidable contact and had to rally to salvage a 20th-place finish.
Sunday’s result hurts for both drivers. But it’s particularly damaging for McLaughlin, who figures to be a championship contender after his fierce rally to contend for the 2024 title. The Kiwi felt a slow start impacted his ability to chase that trophy. Now he’s off to a bad start again.
Photos from Thermal Club – Race
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