Palou beat VeeKay to pole by the second-closest margin in Indy 500 qualifying historical past, at 0.004s and 0.006mph final Sunday.
As we speak, Palou set the fourth quickest lap within the ultimate apply session earlier than the inexperienced flag flies on the 107th operating of the Indy 500 on Sunday. He mentioned VeeKay wasn’t in any respect serious about drafting previous him, as they practiced race simulation operating on monitor collectively, and questioned his strategy.
“He did not wish to cross in the present day,” mentioned Palou of VeeKay. “He simply needed to avoid wasting gas on Carb Day and I did not actually perceive what he was doing on monitor.
“But when he drives regular, yeah, we will be exchanging [the lead on Sunday] quite a bit. I do not know if it should be me or someone else, however yeah, I feel when you find yourself second, it is simple to cross, and when you find yourself first, you can’t actually do a lot.
“I simply hope that they do not go loopy on the man that’s main, making an attempt to avoid wasting gas when you’re main as a result of that does not work after which it is loopy behind. So, if I am in management, if I am main, I will try to simply go and try to play with someone, and if they do not wish to, like Rinus did not wish to in the present day, we’ll see what occurs.”
In his media classes on Thursday, VeeKay was adamant that gas saving could be his key technique in Sunday’s race, relatively than main laps.
He was slowest of all on Carb Day, along with his quickest lap of 222.166mph some 5mph slower than Palou’s pacesetting team-mate Takuma Sato.
“Qualifying tempo doesn’t imply something for the race, we’ve a very totally different automobile for that,” mentioned VeeKay. “I do know we’ve a really quick automobile and beginning on the entrance is essential.
“I can go straight into gas save mode, sitting behind Alex, I’ll slot behind him and ensure we keep within the race till the top and battle him at any time when the gas save goes out the window.”
When requested by Motorsport.com to elucidate his deliberate technique from the beginning, he replied: “For those who’re within the high 5, you might be kinda in a secure spot, so it can save you gas. For those who keep there all race then you definately’ll be effective for the top when you’ll be able to assault.
“Gas save is vital, it gave Alex Rossi the win in 2016, and we are able to at all times change the technique round and go full gas burn, however you’ll be able to by no means win that again if you happen to do.
“I feel there will likely be overtaking in the midst of the pack, I feel these guys will transfer their approach ahead. I see my team-mates Ed [Carpenter] and Conor [Daly] shifting ahead, but when they don’t, I’ve to work with these different guys and groups.
“Undoubtedly Ganassi and McLaren will likely be round me, so I’ll work along with particular guys like Palou and Rosenqvist, who’ll additionally wish to be round on the finish, so we’ve to co-operate.”