'If we can't get the IndyCar championship tomorrow, it's ok' says unbothered Alex Palou

After a mistake late in the Fast Six, Alex Palou will line up in fifth for today's IndyCar Portland race after he qualified sixth.

Benefitting from a penalty for Christian Lundgaard who will start seventh after a six-place grid penalty, Palou had looked competitive for pole before he locked up and hit the wall at Turn 12.

Described as a "small mistake" by himself, Palou brought out the yellows which saw his best lap time deleted for impeding.

Palou on his qualifying said: "Happy we had pace [but] obviously not happy that I went looking for mushrooms in the Fast Six but I mean i just tried a little bit too hard. I locked a little bit and just lost the car.

"I don't know if i impeded anybody, I'm sorry if I did but it was good. We wanted to fight for pole and it's good we start in the top six tomorrow."

Put at the back of the pack, he was unable to improve due to flat spotting his tyres.

Despite entering on the back foot on Sunday not helped by his championship rival, Pato O'Ward, starting on pole, Palou shared he isn't going to change anything for the race.

Speaking post-qualifying, the Spanish driver seemed unbothered that he might not walk home with the championship from Portland.

"I know that by winning the race, I can win both things so that's obviously the goal," Palou stated, "I think everybody is going to try and win the race tomorrow.

"I'm not going to drive differently just because we have a chance. As long as we finish the year with the championship at home, that's the goal.

"If we can get it tomorrow, great, if we can't, it's ok, but I think knowing that by winning the race we can clinch it here, that's what we're shooting for."

121 points ahead of O'Ward in the championship, Palou's relaxed nature around the championship comes at the shared feeling in IndyCar that he's already wrapped it up.

In the same post-qualifying press conference, O'Ward shared the same sentiment and seemed to relinquish any hope he could win it.

On the championship, O'Ward admitted Palou had "already won it" and that the Spaniard needed the "the worst luck he's ever had" to drag him back into it.

Although chasing the championship, Palou is also chasing the all-time win record in a single IndyCar season but would need to take all three remaining race wins to beat A.J Foyt's record 10 wins.

On tomorrow's race, Palou was unsure of how temperature changes will change the tyres and consequently his chances of winning but remained confident in his car.

He said: "I think nobody knows what the track and the tires are going to do tomorrow. 

"Hopefully today in the warm up we're going to kind of get a small idea of what the preferred tyre is but it's going to change tomorrow as well. 

"As of today, I think we have a great car and I cannot wait."