Felix Rosenqvist showcased serious pace once again at Laguna Seca but was taken out of contention on the opening lap of Sunday’s Java House Grand Prix of Monterey, capping off a frustrating weekend in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
A pole-sitter at Laguna Seca in 2023 and top three qualifier last year, Rosenqvist once again proved rapid around the Californian road course in 2025 – but left with little to show for it.
The first blow was dealt in qualifying, where Rosenqvist initially seemed a contender for the front row; easily sailing through the opening group stages with the second-fastest time.
He then confirmed the potential on offer this weekend in the #60 Grateful Dead-themed Meyer Shank Racing Honda by storming to P2 on the timesheets once again as the subsequent Top 12 session drew to a close, setting a 1m08.633s to slot in just 0.039s behind championship leader Alex Palou.
That time would have been enough to comfortably progress into the decisive Fast 6 shootout, but with the last flurry of fast laps still coming in, complacency was not an option.
Continuing to push to cement his progression, Rosenqvist unfortunately spun on the exit of Turn 5, triggering a local yellow that was deemed to have affected a fellow competitor.
Consequently as per INDYCAR rules, he was stripped of his fastest time and of the ability to advance, instead leaving him down in 12th on the grid for Sunday’s race.
”I spun in Turn 5, went in a little hard and couldn’t save it,” Felix Rosenqvist explains. ”It’s really unfortunate with the way the rules are, but it is what it is. We’ve had the pace to battle up front this weekend but unfortunately, that penalty in qualifying cost us dearly.”
Once in the race, it took only half a lap for things to go from bad to worse for Rosenqvist. The Swedish driver got clouted by a car from behind heading into Turn 6, sending him into the tyre barrier and leaving him four laps behind the field.
Working hard to replace the damaged front wing and right front toe link, the Meyer Shank Racing mechanics were able to get Rosenqvist back on track, eventually earning him a pair of spots in the final order due to attrition as he came home in 24th.
Demonstrating what could have been, Rosenqvist recorded the second-fastest lap of the race despite carrying aerodynamic damage.
“I don’t know exactly what happened, but I think two cars clashed behind me and I got rear-ended in Turn 6. That was basically it for our race,” says Felix Rosenqvist. “Luckily we were able to keep going and ended up picking up two spots. I have to thank the team for staying with it.
“It’s just a shame; we lost a lot of points. There was so much more promise this weekend and we’ll take the positives from that, knowing we truly were among the fastest cars on track.”
Wrapping up the most intense part of the season with five races in the last four weeks, the INDYCAR field now gets a little bit of a breather before the next event in Portland in two weeks’ time (August 10).
RESULTS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | Rd. 14
Java House Grand Prix of Monterey
Laguna Seca (USA)
1: Alex Palou (ESP), Ganassi, 95 laps
2: Christian Lundgaard (DEN), Arrow McLaren, +3.796s
3: Colton Herta (USA), Andretti, +4.634s
4: Pato O’Ward (MEX), Arrow McLaren, +6.648s
5: Scott Dixon (NLZ), Ganassi, +7.342s
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24: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Meyer Shank Racing, +4 laps
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | After 14/17 races
1: Alex Palou (ESP), Ganassi, 590 p.
2: Pato O’Ward (MEX), Arrow McLaren, 469 p.
3: Scott Dixon (NLZ), Ganassi, 392 p.
4: Kyle Kirkwood (USA), Andretti, 377 p.
5: Christian Lundgaard (DEN), Arrow McLaren, 357 p.
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6: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Meyer Shank Racing, 315 p.