Favorites and sleepers for the Laguna Seca showdown
Honda boasts a pristine 6-for-6 record at ever since the NTT INDYCAR SERIES made its return to the Northern California road course in 2019. Leading that charge is none other than , who has claimed three of the past four races at the venue alongside a victory at Portland International Raceway and his fifth championship secured last weekend at Milwaukee Mile. Chip Ganassi Racing teammate took the other win in 2023, while secured the remaining two victories in 2019 for Harding Steinbrenner Racing and 2021 with Andretti Global. Sunday’s Mission Grand Prix of Monterey airs at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX One, FOX Deportes and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls.
Looking at the favorites, in the No. 3 DEX Team Penske Chevrolet brings three top-10 finishes in his past four Monterey starts, including a runner-up result in 2023, paired with seven top-eight finishes in his last nine races. Pato O’Ward wheels the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet after finishing fifth, eighth, ninth, eighth and fourth in his five Monterey starts, coming off a victory at and a sweep of both Milwaukee races last Sunday. , driving the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, holds a seventh-place average finish in four Laguna Seca starts—highlighted by a runner-up finish last year—and leads all drivers in permanent road course points this season with wins on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course and at .
Palou’s resume in the No. 10 DHL Lightning Bolt Honda is nothing short of staggering, featuring an immaculate 1.6 average finish, zero results worse than third across five Laguna Seca starts, and 250 laps led, including 67 in 2022, 51 in 2023, 48 in 2024, and 84 of 95 last year. He arrives as a three-time winner and two-time pole winner at the track, having swept pole and victory the last two years. Rounding out the favorites, pilots the No. 26 TWG AI Honda with five top-seven finishes in six Laguna Seca starts—second in 2019, third in 2022, fourth in 2023, and seventh the last two years—coupled with three top-six finishes in his past three permanent road course starts this season.