Bob Pockrass
FOX Motorsports Insider
“You just [expletive] my whole session.”
Will Power yelled at Alex Palou after practice Saturday morning at Mid-Ohio, but it appears to be over the frustration that has mounted throughout the weekend while drivers tried to get a good, clean lap in practice.
As drivers manage their tires on the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, backing off and going slower on a lap is not rare. Power and Colton Herta talked about it yesterday when asked about what was the most difficult part of the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course.
Will Power spoke with FOX Sports on the broadcast prior to qualifying about the issue.
“[He] spent four laps just going slow, so I had to keep backing up, backing up, backing up, which was frustrating,” Power said. “And then I came in and made a change, went out on a money lap [and they] sent him out of the pit again right in front of me and he didn’t move.”
“He just kept going, and I had to back up again. He didn’t have anyone in front of him and I had clear behind me. He could have just backed off, which I always do for him and anyone else.”
Power said Palou told him sorry because he knew what the issue was and Power acknowledged that Palou might have been just doing what he was instructed.
“It’s frustrating for everyone to get a lap because these tracks are small and so many cars,” Power said.
Palou said he knew why Power was coming towards him and joked that Power “gave me some compliments” and added that he understood the frustration.
“Everybody is complaining about traffic, and we’re all angry that we don’t get clear laps,” Palou said. “Maybe he thought we did something personal to him. For sure, that was not the intention. … I was always a second or two seconds in front of him.
“He was just having to back off,” Palou added. “I never tried to defend or anything. He was a little bit upset, and that’s OK.”
Power’s irritation was reiterated earlier in the weekend.
“[The biggest challenge] is probably people backing off, simply,” Power said Friday afternoon after the first practice. “It’s incredible.”
Colton Herta, sitting next to him, added that if it happens early in the lap, then it ruins the entire lap.
“You just don’t really get laps,” Herta said. “So you’re kind of guessing the last half of the track, where to put it and how much speed to roll when you get the [softer tire] reds on.”
“It definitely disrupts the flow of your work progress for sure,” Herta added.
That’s what it appeared Power was mad about when he confronted Palou after practice. Power is known as one of the more emotional drivers, often laying it out there but also getting over things relatively quickly.
It has been a vexing season for Power. The Team Penske driver is seventh in the standings and only has one podium finish (the Indianapolis Grand Prix in May). Palou is having an incredible season, as the Ganassi driver has six wins and a 93-point lead in the standings.
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