Scott McLaughlin Denies Alex Palou Pole Position at Laguna Seca

The qualifying session at Laguna Seca delivered a dramatic conclusion as Scott McLaughlin snatched pole position away from Alex Palou. Palou, who had dominated the practice sessions and the Fast 12, looked set to secure his ninth pole of the 2026 season.

With less than a minute remaining, the Spaniard clocked a lap time of 1:09. 154 that appeared to be the benchmark.

However, McLaughlin responded with a blistering final lap of 1:09. 136 to take the top spot.

This result prevented Palou from reaching a historic milestone in his racing career. Had he succeeded, he would have matched the second-best pole record in a single season.

Instead, the Spaniard will have to wait for another year to chase such an elite statistical achievement.