Felix Rosenqvist and Will Power walked away from the Grand Prix of Portland with second- and third-place podium finishes, but their post-race focus remained squarely on traffic nightmares, with both drivers taking aim at IndyCar’s approach to backmarkers. Rosenqvist started on pole in the #60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda, commanding the early pace and leading 33 laps. However, a combination of a tight exit from his pit box near rookie Mick Schumacher’s crew and an overcut strategy by winner Alex Palou relegated him to second position.
While acknowledging Palou’s strong pace on the primary tires, Rosenqvist pulled no punches regarding lapped cars holding up race leaders.
“(Palou) just drove better, to be honest,” Rosenqvist said. “Not a lot quicker, but he was a little bit quicker, especially on the blacks. That first stint he outsmarted us, did one lap longer. I didn’t know he did that, so maybe we need to work on communication. I don’t think I could have kept up with that pace he did anyways, if I saved that much fuel.”
Rosenqvist also criticised the lapped traffic he and Palou encountered before their final stops.
Both lost time behind Louis Foster, who had recently emerged from the pits on fresh tyres. “IndyCar: We don’t make the rules, we keep the same ones since the ’70s.”
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–Will Power
“Yeah, from there it was just like a lapped car race, I guess,” Rosenqvist said.
“Sometimes you’re getting three seconds because of a lap car, the next time you lose three seconds. “I think without sounding salty, I don’t think I would have won the race anyway, but I think it’s kind of time for us as a series to grow up and not have the lapped car situation. I think it makes us all look stupid. “When you work hard and all of a sudden you lose five seconds behind a lapped car, I don’t think it’s right. I don’t think anyone wants to see that.
Again, I don’t think I would have won anyways. I think all drivers probably agree with me.”
Will Power, Andretti Global
Photo by: Perry Nelson / Lumen via Getty Images
Power, driving the #26 Andretti Global Honda, echoed Rosenqvist’s frustration after a radio communication issue compounded his own battle through traffic.
Attempting to run long for an overcut before his final pit stop, Power missed an unclear pit call, leaving him out on track as the race leader on fading tires for an extra lap. Before making it to pit lane, Power “got held up massively” and lost nearly three seconds while battling backmarker Sting Ray Robb, who raced Power side-by-side into Turn 10 despite being a lap down. “Yes, I agree with that,” Power said, echoing Rosenqvist’s words on backmarkers. “I mean, I’ve said it forever. It’s kind of ridiculous we have a 1970’s rule going on: ‘But we’ve always done that’.
Yeah, it’s a little bit different now. Drives me crazy all these cars.
“If IndyCar won’t do anything, I think all the drivers get together and have a gentlemen’s agreement. ‘IndyCar: We don’t make the rules, we keep the same ones since the ’70s.’”
Palou ultimately capitalized on the traffic delays and pit sequences to secure the victory in a race that featured one early caution. But as the post-race press conference moderator suggested addressing the blue-flag rules during the off-season, Rosenqvist and Power offered a cynical final assessment:
“Nothing will happen,” Rosenqvist said.
To which Power added, “Same discussion every year.”
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IndyCar Alex Palou dominates in Portland to extend IndyCar championship lead
IndyCar Official race results: 2026 IndyCar at Portland
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