Today’s question: Which driver should be feeling best about themselves after three NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season?

Curt Cavin: There are several good choices, and I’ll leave a couple of them to my colleagues (see below). But I’d think Felix Rosenqvist ought to be very happy with how things have gone, not only with results but also qualifying as Meyer Shank Racing’s new technical alliance with Chip Ganassi Racing has come together. Rosenqvist is one of five drivers with top-10 finishes in each of the first three races, and he should be optimistic about May as he has had fast cars in recent Indianapolis 500s. No one is in Alex Palou’s league right now, but Rosenqvist is in that best-of-the-rest class so far. His average finish of 5.6 is just a tick below that of Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood, the winner of last weekend’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, and Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard, who has had podium finish in the past two races. Those two have average finishes of 4.6. Rosenqvist, who has struggled with consistency in recent years, has never finished higher than sixth in the standings – that was six years ago as a series newcomer – but he’s well-positioned to better that this season.

Eric Smith: Christian Lundgaard is my pick. He admitted in Long Beach that he was vocal this offseason about wanting to have a strong start in his maiden season with Arrow McLaren. Well, two podiums in three tries later, I’d say he’s off to a fast start. Outside of Alex Palou, who is expected to shine, Lundgaard hasn’t had this level of sustained success in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. He had one victory and three podiums in 52 previous starts with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing from 2021-24. He’s also been the top-finishing Arrow McLaren driver in two of three races this season and sits third in points – his best-ever standing in this series. What’s noteworthy is while I do agree with Curt that Felix Rosenqvist and Arni that Kyle Kirkwood are off to phenomenal starts, Rosenqvist is in his second season with Meyer Shank Racing and Kirkwood his third with Andretti Global. Lundgaard has been quick with only three races and a couple test sessions in his Arrow McLaren tenure. Both sides are still learning from each other, and to have this good of a start, I think the ceiling may be higher on his end.

Arni Sribhen: Like everyone else’s answer to this question, I picked one of the four drivers with at least two top-five finishes and three top-10s this season. But the driver who feels best about where he stands after the first three races of 2025 is Kyle Kirkwood. He is second in points after the season's first three races and hasn’t finished worse than eighth. Plus, he has a pole position at Long Beach. And he’s done something no other driver on this list has done in 2025 -- beat Alex Palou this season. Two seasons ago, the 2021 INDY NXT by Firestone champ showed he could be an INDYCAR SERIES race winner, triumphing on the streets of Long Beach and Nashville. Last season, he found the consistency he will need to be a legitimate championship contender each season. Three races in, he’s showing he might have all the pieces to put all of it together this season and find enough success to beat Palou for the championship.

Paul Kelly: Call me a master of the obvious, but who feels better than Alex Palou right now? The three-time and two-time reigning series champion has won two of the first three races, finishing second in the other. He holds a 34-point lead in the standings – well over a half-race’s worth of points – and we’re not even at the quarter-post of the season. Palou’s next two races are events he has dominated in the past, winning in 2021 at Barber Motorsports Park (May 3 this year) and the last two years in the Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course (May 10). Sure, any remaining Palou detractors – and you’re insane if you are – will point out he has never won on an oval. That may be the most overblown stat in the INDYCAR SERIES. Palou had four top-five finishes in seven oval starts last season in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. It’s a matter of when, not if, Palou breaks through for his first circle-track win. There’s no doubt in my mind he will break his oval duck this season. And even if he doesn’t, Palou’s metronomic consistency once again will be tough to top. Kyle Kirkwood admitted he was inch-perfect all last weekend en route to winning the NTT P1 Award and the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. That’s exactly what it will take every weekend for anyone to beat Palou to the title this season.