Rahal lapped the 14-turn, 2.439-mile IMS street course in 1m09.8421s within the 90-minute session for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
Given IndyCar already raced on the circuit format in Might, monitor exercise was sparse to start with aside from rookies, who’re allowed an additional set of main tyres.
Might’s polesitter Christian Lundgaard led the way in which for the Rahal workforce after half-hour with a lap of 1m10.4945s, two tenths forward of Chip Ganassi Racing’s rookie Marcus Armstrong.
Final 12 months’s winner right here Alexander Rossi (Arrow McLaren) and collection dominator Alex Palou (Ganassi) took turns on the prime, each dipping into the 1m10.3s bracket – Palou producing 1m10.3003s, which stood because the quickest time set on the first tyres.
The crimson flag flew with 43 minutes to go when Pato O’Ward (McLaren) spun exiting Flip 13 and slid throughout the grass and stalled his engine.
McLaren’s Felix Rosenqvist was the primary to set an alternate-tyred time, a 1m09.9267s, with 20 minutes remaining. That stayed prime for a very good whereas, till Graham Rahal produced 1m09.8421s with 9 minutes to go.
Josef Newgarden, Group Penske Chevrolet
Photograph by: Geoffrey M. Miller / Motorsport Images
Many groups appeared keener on working their alternates lengthy – that are a more durable compound this weekend than they had been in Might – moderately than making an attempt pure qualifying simulations, which in all probability skewed the pecking order.
“I feel the reds have thrown individuals for a loop, there’s much more understeer than earlier than,” stated Rahal. “I really feel sturdy.”
Rosenqvist stayed in second, forward of Lundgaard, Rossi, Palou, the lead Team Penske automobile of Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon (Ganassi), O’Ward, Marcus Ericsson (Ganassi) and Devlin De Francesco (Andretti Autosport).
Toronto’s debutant star Linus Lundqvist misplaced monitor time on account of an engine downside together with his Honda-powered Meyer Shank Racing automobile. As soon as rectified, he set the seventh-quickest main tyre time however fell to 13th on alternates.
Title contender Josef Newgarden may solely handle 24th on this session, and admitted it was “not a very good apply”.
In IndyCar parish notices, there will likely be six-place beginning grid penalties tomorrow for Helio Castroneves (MSR), David Malukas (Dale Coyne Racing) and Jack Harvey (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing) for unapproved engine modifications.
Qualifying begins at 12:30pm ET, with a remaining apply scheduled for 4:00pm ET.
IndyCar Indy RC – Free Observe 1 outcomes