Phillip Abbott/Lumen
Laguna IndyCar finale grid penalty confirmed for Palou
UPDATED Sunday, 11am ET: Alex Palou has received a six-position grid penalty for the Monterey Grand Prix after an unapproved engine change was made following qualifying on Saturday.
Palou’s No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda had a fresh motor installed after Honda Performance Development found an issue with the Spaniard’s engine. IndyCar allows four engines to be used per season without penalty; by installing the No. 10’s fifth, a six-spot penalty is triggered on road and street courses.
Earning fifth in qualifying, the 2021 series champion will be demoted to 11th for Sunday’s 95-lap contest. With the penalty, Palou would move championship-contending teammate Marcus Ericsson from 10th to ninth for the race that starts at 12:30 p.m. PT (NBC).
Presented by:
For making every mile more exhilarating
Marshall Pruett
The 2026 season marks Marshall Pruett's 40th year working in the sport. In his role today for RACER, Pruett covers open-wheel and sports car racing as a writer, reporter, photographer, and filmmaker. In his previous career, he served as a mechanic, engineer, and team manager in a variety of series, including IndyCar, IMSA, and World Challenge.
Read Marshall Pruett's articles
Latest News
Comments
Comments are disabled until you accept Social Networking Cookies. Update cookie preferences
If the dialog doesn't appear, ad-blockers are often the cause; try disabling yours or see our Social Features Support.