Rides & Drives:
This weekend’s race at Portland is shaping up like a grudge match between you and Alex Palou. He won in 2023 and you won last year. He can clinch the championship at this race, but he has to beat you to do it, and you have a great history at Portland. What’s your attitude going into the weekend?
Will Power:
You can never just assume that you’re going to turn up and be competitive based on the previous year. This series is way too tough for that, but Portland is one of my favorite tracks. I’ve performed well here quite often. But Alex has just been on another level this year, so you can almost guarantee that you will be fighting him for the win. We’ve had a rough year as a team, so it’d be nice to turn it around this weekend.
Rides & Drives:
Do you have any particular strategy that you’re thinking about going into the weekend?
Will Power:
We did some sim work. I got on the simulator and we did a bunch of laps to try some different setups. I think our approach will be running what we ran last year to start with in practice and go from there to see if we can improve it. So we’re just going to wait until first practice and see how it feels.
Rides & Drives:
Are the tires pretty much the same this year as they were last year? Tire selection had a lot to do with the ten second margin of victory last year with you finishing on the soft tires and others, notably Alex, on the hard compound. Have the tires felt pretty much the same for you?
Will Power:
They’re probably slightly more durable in both compounds, but it’ll be the same scenario. Tire choice will really govern the outcome of the race based on when you run them. You have to run one set of each compound, and fans can see the soft compound, which has got a red sidewall, and the hard compound, which has black sidewalls. You must run one set of each in the race and then you can run whatever you want. So yeah, that’s got to play a big part.
Rides & Drives:
Is there anybody else, any other driver, that you’re thinking about who’s likely to be up at the front with you and Alex?
Will Power:
It’s impossible to predict because there’s just so many good guys now. I mean, our top six are different every week. So your guess is good as mine! There are so many good teams and drivers now, but I think Palou is about the only one you can guarantee to be at the front. For the rest it’s kind of hit-or-miss.
Rides & Drives:
Are there any other X factors that are on your mind before the event weekend?
Will Power:
Good sleep! Not a noisy hotel room. Good preparation, good food, and sleep are an X factor.
Rides & Drives:
Speaking of good food, you’ve been coming to Portland for a long time. Are there any restaurants or spots that are on your list for dinner or lunch while you’re here?
Will Power:
I had breakfast this morning at 13 Coins. That was a good breakfast! I’m going to a nice steakhouse tonight.
Rides & Drives:
Excellent. Is there anything else that you would want to say before the event weekend?
Will Power:
Come on out! I think it’s going to be great. There’s a lot for fans to do and there’s action on the track all weekend. You can see the cars getting worked on and you can meet all the drivers. We have a lot of accessibility in IndyCar.
