Behind the wheel of the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda, Rosenqvist asserted dominance over his competitors with a blistering lap of 1m38.5831 (111.999 mph) on the 3.067-mile, 17-turn road course, securing control of the opening group.
Meanwhile, reigning and two-time IndyCar Series champion Palou continued to showcase his formidable pace, setting a lap time of 1m38.5675s (112.017 mph) to lead the second group.
In Group 1, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon initially set the benchmark with a lap of 1m39.7074s. However, his lead was short-lived as Christian Lundgaard of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing surged ahead in the closing minutes.
Ultimately, Rosenqvist clinched pole position by a mere 0.0237s over McLaughlin and 0.0452s ahead of VeeKay. Palou’s impressive pace outshone his CGR teammate Marcus Armstrong, securing the top spot in Group 2.
Despite initial dominance by Arrow McLaren, CGR’s trio of Palou, Armstrong, and rookie Linus Lundqvist emerged as the top three, with Lundqvist’s position secured until Graham Rahal’s late surge bumped him to third.