Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou as soon as once more handled Portland Worldwide Raceway like his private playground with a cushty victory on the Grand Prix of Portland.
After beginning second, Palou used his trademark overcut through the opening cycle of green-flag pit stops to leap into the lead and led 60 of 110 laps en path to a 4.1167-second victory on the 12-turn, 1.964-mile pure highway course. It marked Palou’s twenty fifth profession victory, his third at Portland and sixth of the season.
“Everyone at CGR and Honda, they did an unbelievable job,” Palou mentioned. “I had a completely rocket ship right this moment. It was very, very good to drive each single lap. I used to be a little bit bit apprehensive there once we put these alternates (softer tire compound); they had been so good. I used to be like, ‘Man, if anyone’s gonna preserve them for the top, we’d have a battle.’ However yeah, as soon as once more, all people did an unbelievable job within the #10 automotive. Unimaginable to get our sixth win of the season. It’s been nice.”
Pole-sitter Felix Rosenqvist completed second within the #60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda, with Andretti World’s Will Energy taking third. Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Rinus VeeKay claimed fourth, forward of one other Andretti World driver in Kyle Kirkwood settling in fifth.
Palou, the reigning and four-time IndyCar Sequence champion, prolonged his stranglehold within the title race with the win and now holds a 110-point lead over Kirkwood. Group Penske’s David Malukas, who completed twelfth within the race, fell again to 3rd, 118 factors again.
The race
Rosenqvist led the sphere to the inexperienced flag, with Palou making an attempt an out of doors go into Flip 1 earlier than falling in behind. Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard, who began twenty fifth and final, gained six positions on the opening lap.
Marcus Ericsson, using the softer alternate compound, delivered a late go on Palou, on the more durable major tires, into Flip 1 to maneuver into second on Lap 4. In the meantime, Lundgaard continued his march ahead, climbing as much as fifteenth.
The warning got here out on Lap 7, nevertheless, after the #15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda of Graham Rahal dropped his left-front wheel off the observe at Flip 11 and slid into the tire barrier at Flip 12. He ended up taking the escape highway as soon as gathering it again up.
The likes of Josef Newgarden, Santino Ferrucci, Marcus Armstrong, Nolan Siegel, Sting Ray Robb, and Rahal took to pit lane for service.
The restart got here on Lap 9, with Rosenqvist leaping out to a spot over Ericsson.
By way of the opening 20 laps, Rosenqvist held a 0.8s lead over Ericsson, with Palou 1.8s behind. Andretti World’s Will Energy sat fourth, 3.9s behind, with Juncos Hollinger Racing’s VeeKay in fifth at 5.3s again.
Ericsson’s softer tires started to fade as he dropped 0.8s to Rosenqvist by Lap 24 earlier than diving to pit lane. Kyle Kirkwood, Scott Dixon, and Grosjean additionally dove to pit lane. The cycle continued over the following a number of laps, with the race’s largest charger, Lundgaard, progressing straight behind Dixon.
Rosenqvist and Energy continued to remain out till Lap 32, with Palou staying out a lap longer. By advantage of the overcut, Palou was capable of bounce forward of Rosenqvist. The drivers who had pitted beneath the sooner warning, together with Newgarden and Ferrucci, cycled to the entrance.
In the meantime, Marcus Armstrong encountered an engine difficulty and was compelled to dive into pit lane; he retired early. Ferrucci pitted on Lap 35. Newgarden relinquished the lead on Lap 37, permitting Palou into the highest spot.
PORTLAND, OREGON – AUGUST 8: #10: Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honda through the NTT INDYCAR Sequence Bitnile.com Grand Prix of Portland at Portland Worldwide Raceway on August 8, 2026 in Portland, Oregon
Photograph by: Perry Nelson / Lumen by way of Getty Photos
Palou started nailing fast laps and prolonged his result in over 6s by Lap 45, with Rosenqvist in second.
Pato O’Ward was compelled into an unscheduled pit cease with a right-front vibration brought on by tire blistering, dropping him to twenty second.
Palou pitted on Lap 56, handing the result in Rosenqvist, who pitted 4 laps later. Energy took over the race lead consequently, however pitted the following lap because the cycle continued. Newgarden assumed the lead, with Palou in second. As soon as Newgarden pitted a couple of laps later, Palou moved again into the lead, working with a set of the more durable primaries whereas Rosenqvist had the softer alternates.
Rosenqvist started to claw into Palou’s lead, with it shrinking all the way down to 2.3s on Lap 72.
Kirkwood dove to pit lane from fourth on Lap 79, with the early cease throughout the window coming in on account of considerations over air stress loss along with his left-front.
Palou misplaced time behind Louis Foster’s freshly pitted No. 47 RLL Honda, permitting Rosenqvist to shut to inside 0.7 seconds. Palou finally cleared Foster, who then delayed Rosenqvist earlier than the Swede made his ultimate cease with 29 laps remaining. Palou pitted the following lap to cowl. Palou and Rosenqvist had been each left to run the ultimate stint on primaries.
Energy took over the race lead and continued to remain out to the purpose of catching backmarker site visitors and missed the preliminary name to pit lane.
The cycle noticed Palou return to the lead with a 3.3s benefit over Rosenqvist, with Energy a distant third at 7.7s behind.
With 15 laps to go, Palou held a 5.7s hole over Rosenqvist, who got here beneath risk from Energy that was on a contemporary set of softer alternates.
The highest 10 with 5 laps to go had been Palou, Rosenqvist, Energy, VeeKay, Kirkwood, with Ericsson in sixth, adopted by Scott McLaughlin, Newgarden, Simpson, and Lundgaard.
Palou managed the closing laps to take the chequered flag 4.1167 seconds forward of Rosenqvist, with Energy third. VeeKay and Kirkwood accomplished the highest 5, adopted by Ericsson, McLaughlin, Newgarden, Simpson and Lundgaard.
1
10
110
3
2
60
110
3
3
26
110
3
4
76
110
3
5
27
110
3
6
28
110
3
7
3
110
3
8
2
110
4
9
7
110
3
10
8
110
3
11
5
110
3
12
12
110
3
13
19
110
3
14
9
110
3
15
L. Foster Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
45
110
3
16
47
110
3
17
18
110
3
18
N. Siegel Arrow McLaren
6
110
4
19
20
110
3
20
4
109
3
21
14
109
4
22
R. Robb Sting Juncos Hollinger Racing
77
109
4
23
15
109
4
24
C. Rasmussen Ed Carpenter Racing
21
106
3
25
66
33
1
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