NTT INDYCAR SERIES: XPEL GRAND PRIX AT ROAD AMERICA

June 21, 2025

Louis Foster

Alex Palou

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everyone. Wrapping up qualifying. An all-champion front row for tomorrow's race. Joined now by Alex Palou with his third front-row start here in 2025.

Tell us about qualifying, the heat, what the race might look like tomorrow.

ALEX PALOU: It was very warm for everybody. It was interesting. We had a really fast car. Then I thought qualifying was going to be only against people on new tires. I think Louis did it on used tires, right? Yeah, I wasn't counting on that. He did an amazing job.

I'm really happy with the qualifying we did. I think we matched our best lap time of the weekend in Fast Six. We didn't have more speed, just a little extra there on Fast Six.

Happy to start on front row. It's big here to start up front, so happy.

THE MODERATOR: Clearly, the race car looks good?

ALEX PALOU: We will see tomorrow. With heat tomorrow, tire deg, stuff like that, we'll see. I think it's going to be tough for everybody.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Even though this is a veteran's track, it seems like young drivers can get a great start here. 2020 helped your career. What do you think it does for Louis?

ALEX PALOU: Yeah, it's huge. First pole. Not only that, but the way he did it, it's pretty impressive. I think it's going to help him have a great result tomorrow and push him during the year. So yeah, it's cool to see.

Q. Do you know Louis very well at all?

ALEX PALOU: Yeah, I think the past two or three weekends. Yeah, I think I know him a little bit, yeah. I know he doesn't have a moustache now and I give him shit for that because he sold it only for a thousand bucks. It worked, yeah. Well, what didn't work was the moustache, so now he figured out.

Q. Do you think anybody who has moustaches will be shaving them after today?

ALEX PALOU: I don't know. I think it worked pretty well for Lundgaard, as well, two years ago.

I can't grow a moustache, that's why I don't have it (smiling).

Q. Tomorrow it's going to be very hot. What is the situation with the red tires tomorrow?

ALEX PALOU: I don't know. They look good. Honestly, they look better than last year. I think last year everybody was a little bit scared on the alternates. I think we'll see a bit more tomorrow during warm-up when we're able to do, like, eight laps in a row pushing, or 10 laps.

They don't look too bad. Yeah, Louis got pole on used alternates, I was on new alternates. They for sure are going to be capable of doing a full stint. We need to see if they're going to be a lot faster than the primaries or not.

Q. What do you see the laps being to go from primary strategy to alternate tomorrow? When might we start seeing some people enter the pits early?

ALEX PALOU: I don't know. It's a tough race both on fuel and tires. It's going to be interesting who bails because of fuel or who bails because of tires.

Honestly, I think it's a bit of an unknown for everybody until tomorrow when we're in warm-up. The primaries seem to be okay, but maybe seem to be a little bit slow. It could be an alternate race tomorrow.

Q. If you were going to have a hot race, is this a good place to do because the long straights here...

ALEX PALOU: It helps.

Q. Because you're not on the gas?

ALEX PALOU: Yeah, it helps a ton, honestly. It's been really warm at the track with the suit and everything. But you can rest quite a lot on the straight. It's probably one of the best tracks to have the warmest weekend.

THE MODERATOR: Alex, thanks for making the trip. See you tomorrow morning.

ALEX PALOU: All right.

THE MODERATOR: Joining us, starting from pole position with his first NTT P1 award, Louis Foster. Also the team's first pole position since Graham won pole at Portland in 2023.

Just how more aerodynamic are you?

LOUIS FOSTER: Fairly a lot. Yeah, I mean, it's crazy. I don't know. I don't really know what to say. Obviously massive thank you to the team. They've done an amazing job.

Yes, I guess it's the moustache. I don't know, man.

THE MODERATOR: How did you do it?

LOUIS FOSTER: If I'm honest, we kind of struggled a little bit throughout the three practices. When we got through to the Fast 12, I was surprised because I messed up my lap. We were sitting there before the group stage, the Fast 12 stage. I said to the guys, I don't think I have the car to make it through the Fast Six. Do you want throw some used tires on and maybe get a sport or two and see how it goes.

They were confident in the ability of the car and myself to be able to push into the Fast Six, which obviously was the right call in the end.

When we did the last run, again, we were just conserving reds. We were in the Fast Six. Top six starting spot for us is awesome alone.

We just ran out, did out-lap and push on the used reds. By the time I went through turn one, I was about 2/10ths up, then maintained that throughout the lap. Gained about a 10th or so in a couple corners.

The reds held on really, really well clearly. Yeah, still a little bit in shock.

THE MODERATOR: Remarkable job by the crew, too.

LOUIS FOSTER: The boys have been working their asses off, I'll be honest. We had the crash in Detroit with the suspension failure. Then last weekend at St. Louis.

Massive props to the 45 boys. They needed this to kind of push themselves through the summer stretch. All credit to them because, yeah, they worked endlessly these last two weeks. They've rebuilt the car twice.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Louis.

Q. Speaking of being in shock, when do you think this will sink in?

LOUIS FOSTER: We've had very, very good qualifying results so far this year. Obviously this is the best. I'm super happy. But we need to do well in the race tomorrow at the end of the day.

I think that's right now my target, is to focus and be with the team and make sure that we've got the race car to be able to battle up front and try to retain our position as long as possible up front. We'll go for a win if we can. We have a fast car.

Full focus on the race. We have to bring in some solid points. Will probably sink in after this weekend, for sure (smiling).

Q. After Nashville, you celebrated the INDY NXT championship. You were confident you belonged in INDYCAR. How cool is to it have something tangible, a trophy on the mantle place, as your first accomplishment here as a rookie?

LOUIS FOSTER: Yeah, pretty cool. I think, yeah, I was here 12 months ago in INDY NXT. I didn't expect to be in this room 12 months later in INDYCAR, so...

Q. Will you never grow a moustache again or...

LOUIS FOSTER: I was like when we shaved it off, I was sad. I was in shock in the mirror every morning so far. Just kind of jump-scaring myself.

We'll see. I think if we win tomorrow, yeah, I'll never have a moustache again, that's for sure. But we'll see.

Q. Do you feel like after the last couple races, thankfully something good's happened?

LOUIS FOSTER: Yeah, for sure. I mean, it's all been in the races we've had our issues. That's why I'm so set on making sure we have a good race tomorrow. Is it a point for pole? It's not, is it?

THE MODERATOR: Yes.

LOUIS FOSTER: One point. But there's a hell of a lot more on offer tomorrow.

I'm super happy with it. This shows that our qualifying performance at RLL is strong as a contending team. We have to make sure we have the race pace to battle with the big boys.

Q. There was a lot of talk during the telecast last week should the caution have come out a little earlier. Did you talk to anybody at INDYCAR about that or is that not an issue to you?

LOUIS FOSTER: I mean, yes. I didn't speak to Kyle or anyone because I think they're aware of the mistake as well. I didn't want to be a dead body. There wasn't much point.

Yes, I mean, they're aware it should have come out honestly. They learn quickly, as well. If you saw, Malukas had a very similar incident to myself. As soon as he touched the wall, it went yellow. They even realized before the race had even finished.

Look, it's racing. Had I come out earlier, Josef wouldn't have hit me, we wouldn't have had that crash, I probably would have likely continued with some damage.

Yeah, it's one of those things. It's racing. You just got to learn from it.

Q. You mentioned that you felt like you screwed up that lap early. Can you become inpatient here? If you screw it up, it's in your mind for the rest of the lap. How easy is it to lose patience, especially with the heat?

LOUIS FOSTER: Yeah, it was difficult. The lap I messed up was in the group stages. I did my first banker lap. We were only doing one push lap with the reds because of the heat. You get one chance every time, right?

I come into the lot the first corner. The last corner, but the first corner of the timing line, turn 14. I lost two and a half 10ths. I knew the lap was done. At that point I was pretty convinced I wasn't going to make it through to the Fast 12. Luckily my first lap was just enough to make it through.

When I went out, the car was really good. We didn't touch a lot. We changed wing a little bit. For me it was about having a consistent balance throughout the runs to be able to optimize my driving.

Q. This is the second straight rookie polesitter here. What have you carried form INDY NXT to INDYCAR that is easier than you thought?

LOUIS FOSTER: The INDY NXT cars are pretty quick. Hell of a lot slower than INDYCARs. I think here, the hide-speed particularly, it's a lot faster in INDYCAR.

I like this track. I was saying to the team before this weekend, it not a track I've tended to have great success. I have always been okay here. I was second last year in INDY NXT. The year before I had an okay result.

To kind of get the monkey off my back with this track, because this is one of the only tracks I don't think I have won a race at or pole. Get that monkey off my back at this place is great.

Q. Two Rahal Letterman Lanigan drivers in the Fast Six. How cool is that?

LOUIS FOSTER: Absolutely massive. I think teamwork is really the key for us at Rahal Letterman Lanigan. As soon as Graham finished his group stage, he jumps out of his car, the first thing he does is runs to me, lets me know about certain things that he learned in the session. If that's not teamwork, I don't know what is. I don't see any teams or drivers doing that. It is a really family feeling at RLL. All three of us are super close. I think that really helps us push the program forward.

Q. With this track being so long, it's tough to pass the leader, how advantageous is it for you to be on the pole?

LOUIS FOSTER: Yeah, massively. I think the target obviously is going to be to retain the lead first lap. As long as we can lead the first lap. I'm sure Alex and Kyle and the guides behind me are going to want to try to get past me as soon as possible. We're not going to make it easy for them.

Q. Looking towards tomorrow and the heat, would there be a concern whether the hybrid's going to get too hot? Is there anything you can do for additional cooling that's within the rule book?

LOUIS FOSTER: I just drive cars, man. I don't know how the hybrid works, so... That's not a question for me.

But we'll see. There were an at Thermal. We didn't' have an issue at Thermal with RLL. I'm sure people much smarter than me will figure that out.

Q. For you physically, is the heat an issue? Do you notice anything with the aeroscreen when the heat gets as high as what it is?

LOUIS FOSTER: Yeah, it's hot. It's very hot. Obviously we'll be in the cool suits, which helps a little bit. The aeroscreen makes it a little bit more difficult with just lack of air circulation.

It's going to be a very, very tricky race tomorrow for the cars, the drivers, the pit crews, everyone around. Yeah, I think just the best thing is hydrate as much as possible (indiscernible) as much as possible.

Can't do anything about it. It's going to be hot. Just have to make the most of it.

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. First of many poles for you. Have a great day tomorrow.

LOUIS FOSTER: Thank you.