Detroit >> Things could get interesting in the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix if Saturday’s practice and qualifying on the bumpy, narrow nine-turn, 1.7-mile temporary street course are any indication.

The IndyCar race moved downtown two years ago after being held on Belle Isle for more than three decade, and Chip Ganassi drivers Alex Palou (2023) and Scott Dixon (2024) have mastered the track by winning the first two races.

The same can’t be said for other drivers. Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren came out of the pits on cold tires during the morning practice and had right front damage before getting the nose wing changed and getting back on track.

Several other drivers tapped the wall or tire barrier, or just avoided serious damage when they locked up their brakes and went into the runoff area, including Palou.

In the end, Andretti Global’s Colton Herta — the series’ highest-paid driver — won the pole at 1:00.477. David Malukas of A.J. Foyt Racing finished second (1:00.649), followed by Herta’s teammate Kyle Kirkwood (1:00.731), Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard (1:00.893) and Graham Rahal of Rahal/Letterman Racing (1:01.065). Palou (1:01.468) placed sixth in the Fast Six session, which had the driver with the fastest speed taking the pole.

“We’ve been close a few times, so I’m happy to be P1, best seat in the house,” said Herta, son of Warren native Bryan Herta, who won the Michigan 500 in 2005.

“I felt more comfortable on the soft tires. We understand what we want to do, but it (the race) is crazy. You never know what’s going to happen. It’s good (winning the pole), but there’s so many cautions that it turns strategy upside down.”

Herta is still in search of his first win of the season. He won the pole last year on the streets of Detroit but finished 19th before turning his season around with four podiums, including wins at Toronto and Nashville, to finish second to Palou in the fight for the championship.

“We got a good lap in, but it’s so cold today and hard to get the tires hot,” said Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin, who posted the second-fastest time in practice (1:01.895), just behind Herta (1:01.782) and ahead of Kirkwood (1:01.942).

McLaughlin missed making the Fast Six, as did Team Penske teammates Will Power and Josef Newgarden, who are coming off a frustrating Indianapolis 500 that included a cheating scandal during qualifications and cost team president Tim Cindric and two others their jobs.

Power and McLaughlin will start today’s race from the fourth row. Newgarden will start farther back after hitting the wall, resulting in damage to his No. 2 Chevrolet.

“If you leave something it will cost you,” Power said of failing to advance from the Fast 12. “It’s no big deal. There will be a lot of mayhem tomorrow.”

Kirkwood left frustrated, having the fastest speed until late in the Fast Six session.

“I’ve never been more frustrated with a third than now,” Kirkwood said. “I’m up by four-tenths going into Turn 3, then tapped the wall and broke the towing. I threw away a pole. I’m happy for Colton. The cars are fast, which is really important.”

Palou had yet to crack the top 10 after Saturday’s practice following a busy week due to winning the Indianapolis 500. He was No. 12 at 1:02.531 in practice or just behind Dixon’s run of 1:02.495.

Palou has won three of the last four IndyCar series championships (2021, 2023, 2024) and is off to the best start to a season since 1979, winning five of six races.

“I’m happy to be in the top six,” Palou said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do tomorrow. It’s Detroit, and it always helps when you have a fast car.”

Race chairman Bud Denker would love to see the excitement matched from last year’s race that had 217 passes and less cautions, with eight yellow flags that cost drivers dozens of laps of green flag racing.

Detroit Grand Prix

• Where: Temporary street course, downtown Detroit

• Main event: IndyCar Series Detroit Grand Prix, today, 12:30 p.m. (Fox)

• Support races: Today — Indy NXT, 10:30 a.m.

• Tickets/information: detroitgp.com