The 2021 IndyCar champion found himself in the fight for victory at the 1.5-mile oval before ultimately losing out to eventual winner Josef Newgarden, who took the win by 1.2s from Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward.
Palou, whose final pitstop had come 25 laps before those of Newgarden and O’Ward, commented: “I didn’t know they were on new tyres at the end; [the team] didn’t tell me – which was good!
“My car was fast, I’m super happy to be here on the podium for the first time. I’ve got some confidence on ovals, and it was a fun race.
“IndyCar did a great job with the downforce levels and stuff, so super-happy to be here. We didn’t really have the speed of the #5 [O’Ward and the #2 [Newgarden] but we’ll get ready for the next one.”
Asked if it was the best oval race of his career, he responded: “100%, I think it was the first one that I could drive how I wanted, and then I could attack and I knew what I was doing.”
Patricio O’Ward, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
Photo by: Brett Farmer / Motorsport Images
While Palou hailed his performance, O’Ward impressed during the middle portion of the race with the McLaren driver putting the majority of the field a lap down before a succession of caution periods.
But when a long full-course caution allowed Newgarden to make changes to his Penske entry, the pair appeared evenly matched. A tight battle in the last dozen laps, also involving Palou’s Honda-powered Ganassi car, was ended early when Romain Grosjean’s Andretti Autosport car hit the wall on the penultimate lap and brought out the yellow with Newgarden’s car less than two-tenths ahead of the McLaren.
O’Ward, who now leads the championship with a brace of runner-up finishes, commented: “It’s been a hell of a start to the year. The guys gave me an absolute rocketship. Everybody who was watching the race midway through saw that.
“It was an absolute joy to drive, and I guess we’re still waiting for that win this year after two second places. But that’s a great start to the championship, and that’s what we need and we’ll keep chipping at it.”