May is here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the NTT IndyCar Series, and it starts with Saturday’s (May 9) Sonsio Grand Prix on the track’s 2.439-mile road course layout.
The grand prix circuit that previously held Formula 1’s United States Grand Prix is set for its 18th IndyCar race since it debuted in 2014.
While it’s a break from running the big oval that will hold the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 later this month, it’s an opportunity for the 25 full-time drivers to make a statement to start the Month of May.
New Push-to-Pass Regulations
Ahead of the race weekend, IndyCar’s newly instated independent review board made a change to the push to pass regulation, allowing drivers to activate the feature once they cross the alternate start-finish line. After that, drivers can use the button at any time including on restarts once the green flag waves.
All this came to fruition after a software malfunction made the feature available to drivers at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where 12 of 25 drivers used the button and only one pass was made by Marcus Armstrong and Santino Ferrucci, both of which were on the button.
And the day before practice and qualifying, the panel of Alex Palou, Pato O’Ward, Kyle Kirkwood, David Malukas and Christian Lundgaard are still trying to wrap their hands around the regulations.
Will this significantly change the racing product at road and street circuits, not significantly. What is important though is that simplification has prevailed and barring anyone using the button on a race with the feature staying active at all times, we can finally put the push-to-pass nonsense to rest.
Can Palou Be Stopped?
Points leader Palou, riding back-to-back wins at Barber Motorsports Park and Long Beach, looks to win a staggering fourth win in a row in the May edition of IMS grand prix, dominating last season to a win margin of over five seconds over Arrow McLaren’s O’Ward for his third consecutive win in May in this configuration.
It’s tough to bet against a recent track record like that, and with Palou still appearing in championship form on the traditional road courses, it would be challenging for any team to step up to the plate.
The one win at IMS road course that has happened during this era of Palou dominance at this track came in the 2023 Gallagher Grand Prix from Palou’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon, the final year that the IMS road course was utilized for two races on the calendar.
So yeah, like at any other traditional road course, Palou is very good here and nearly perfect in the last three years, but who could possibly step up to the Perfect 10s at a track like this.
Rahal Reckoning
The answer, as a matter of fact, could be Graham Rahal. Although Rahal hasn’t tasted victory in quite some time, the Brickyard’s road course has been kind to the son of Bobby Rahal with three podiums (his last in 2023) and an average finish of 7.6 in all 17 races at the configuration.
Just last year he took command of the race at the start and went on to lead the most laps on the day at 49.
Not only has IMS road course been great for Rahal, but 2026 has been a step in the right direction for him and his No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing crew. He earned his first podium earlier this season at Barber. When and where was that last podium? The answer is the 2023 Gallagher Grand Prix at none other than IMS road course.
Momentum couldn’t be higher going into RLL’s best race as a team, and Rahal looks ready to spearhead a winning effort against their fellow Honda rivals over at Chip Ganassi Racing.
Who Else Has a Chance?
It’s hard not to think back to most of last season and about a month ago at Barber watching Lundgaard rocket his No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevy into contention with Palou and what could’ve been only his second IndyCar win.
He’s still on the hunt for his first victory donning the papaya after scoring eight podiums since his debut with Arrow McLaren and sits fifth in the points standings and within striking distance of third-placed Malukas.
However, the outlier to Lundgaard’s road course success last season was IMS road course where he genuinely struggled throughout the day starting 14th and finishing 16th.
Regardless, with that one result being the outlier to a tenure full of success on this style of racing, it would be remised not to spotlight the Dane as a contender for this race.
Dixon & Power Need To Impress
The veteran pair of Dixon and Will Power have gotten off to sluggish starts for their championship standards early in 2026.
While both have scored podiums – Power at Arlington thanks to an alternate strategy and Dixon at Long Beach thanks to a timely caution – Dixon and Power enter the Month of May eighth and 14th in the standings 85 and 116 behind Palou respectively.
As mentioned earlier, Dixon is the most recent winner outside of Palou, and if he can somehow carry that momentum from Long Beach all the way to Indianapolis, then he could set himself up for a confident run in the Indy 500.
For Power, a clean weekend is key. He’s won at IMS road course a staggering five times and claimed nine podiums to boot. The only difference now is that he will have to replicate that success with Andretti Global, who have their own piece of success sweeping races in 2022 with Colton Herta and Alexander Rossi.
Palou is always the one to beat, but these two absolutely could pull off the upset as well.
Frontstretch’s Predictions
Chaos is hard to find in IndyCar these days, but it almost happened with Felix Rosenqvist driving a technical race from the pole before a poorly timed debris caution ended his hopes of beating Palou.
Pace and luck both seem to follow Palou, but one day, that other shoe will drop for the Spaniard.
That day will be Saturday.
Rahal pulls a stunner and puts RLL back on top for the first time since Toronto 2023 and gets his first win since he swept both races at Belle Isle in 2017.
Palou will still linger in second with a challenge from Scott Dixon in third.
1. Graham Rahal
2. Alex Palou
3. Scott Dixon
Coverage of the Sonsio Grand Prix begins on Saturday, May 9 at 4:30 p.m. ET with coverage provided by FOX.
Wyatt Watson has followed motorsports closely since 2007. He joined Frontstretch as a journalist in February 2023 after serving in the United States Navy for five years as an Electronic Technician Navigation working on submarines. Wyatt is one of Frontstretch's primary IndyCar correspondents, providing exclusive video content on site. He hosts Frontstretch's Through the Gears podcast and occasionally The Pit Straight.You can find Wyatt's written work in columns such as Friday Faceoff and 2-Headed Monsteras well as exclusive IndyCar features. Wyatt also contributes to Frontstretch's social media team, posting unique and engaging content for Frontstretch.
Wyatt Watson can be found on X @WyattWRacing