IndyCar GP Indy: O’Ward leads first practice, RLL star

Inevitably the rookies hit the track first, using their extra set of Firestone primaries, but then it was the Rahal Letterman Lanigan team who sprung to the fore, with first Christian Lundgaard and then Jack Harvey hitting the top of the times. Harvey, who scored his only IndyCar podium on the 2.439-mile road course in 2019, lapped the course in 1m10.4121s, an average speed of 124.700mph.

Harvey’s time was shaded by 2021 champion Alex Palou in Chip Ganassi Racing’s #10 and then CGR’s six-time champ Scott Dixon, but he remained third. Palou lowered his time on primaries to 1m10.2689. Behind Harvey was 2021 IMS roadcourse winner Rinus VeeKay of Ed Carpenter Racing, chased by Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden and Will Power.

With 12 minutes to go, the times started to tumble as drivers tried out their sets of Firestone alternates, with Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist of Arrow McLaren sandwiching the RLL cars of Lundgaard and Harvey, chased by Power and VeeKay. O’Ward’s benchmark was 1m09.4981s, an average of 126.340mph.

Scott McLaughlin and Marcus Ericsson bounced into the top six with five minutes remaining, while Alex Palou went third fastest.

McLaughlin improved to fourth, as teammate Newgarden was late leaving on reds due to an apparent clutch problem.

Colton Herta was unable to set a representative time, as his new Honda unit started smoking on his first installation lap at the start of the session and he returned to the garage. The team just got him out for another installation lap in the final two minutes.

Second practice begins at 1.00pm local (Eastern) time.