In the practice session at the 2.3-mile road course, 23-year-old Dutch driver Rinus VeeKay took charge, setting a blistering lap time of 1m06.5463s, earning him the top spot on the leaderboard. VeeKay expressed satisfaction with his car’s performance, noting improvements made overnight that proved beneficial on the track. His strong showing in practice hinted at a promising qualifying session ahead.
Romain Grosjean of Juncos Hollinger Racing closely trailed VeeKay, finishing just 0.0356s behind, showcasing consistent performance throughout the weekend. Scott McLaughlin from Team Penske secured the third spot, demonstrating the team’s competitiveness. Graham Rahal and Christian Lundgaard of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing secured fourth and fifth positions, respectively, adding to the team’s positive momentum.
The midfield saw strong performances from Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren, Will Power from Team Penske, and reigning champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing, claiming sixth, seventh, and eighth places, respectively. Josef Newgarden, also from Team Penske, took ninth, aiming to bounce back from prior setbacks. Marcus Armstrong of Chip Ganassi Racing rounded up the top ten, showcasing promising talent.
The session witnessed interruptions with red flags, first caused by Pietro Fittipaldi’s steering failure and later by Theo Pourchaire’s off-track excursion. Despite these incidents, Christian Lundgaard briefly held the fastest time before VeeKay reclaimed the top spot. Additionally, Felix Rosenqvist faced engine issues, curtailing his session prematurely.
As the session concluded, the focus shifted to the upcoming qualifying session scheduled for later in the day at 3:30 pm ET. VeeKay’s impressive performance positioned him as a strong contender for pole position, while other drivers aimed to fine-tune their setups for optimal performance in qualifying. With the competitive field and unpredictable track conditions, qualifying promised to be an exciting battle for grid positions ahead of the race.
