Palou began his title defense impressively by topping the testing leaderboard. Photo: IndyCar – Joe Skibinski
A total of 15 drivers took to the track on Monday for the first day of testing ahead of the 2024 NTT IndyCar Series season.
The majority of the teams were present at the Sebring short course to prepare their cars for the opening round, which is less than two weeks away.
In total, 1,047 laps were completed, and Alex Palou recorded the fastest time, completing the 1.67-mile course in 52.0883 seconds.
The reigning champion initially placed third in the morning session but surged ahead of the competition in his new-look DHL car during the warmer afternoon hours.
“Nowadays, we don’t have as many opportunities to test as we would like,” Palou stated. “We always want more test days, but it’s extremely important when we are only one week and a half away from St. Pete.
“We want to address many of the engineering aspects that we’ve been considering throughout the offseason. We won’t have enough time, but it’s a chance to bring all the drivers, crew, and team together and exchange ideas in person.”
Christian Lundgaard was just slightly slower than Palou, securing second place on the timesheets with his RLL Honda. Josef Newgarden claimed third place, representing Chevrolet engines among the front-runners.
Alexander Rossi completed the most laps out of all the drivers, covering 89 laps with his three sets of Firestone tires, which were permitted per driver.
Jack Harvey took to the track with Dale Coyne Racing, despite not having a confirmed seat for the upcoming season. He completed all of his laps during the afternoon session.
The cars were configured to match what the drivers will use in the opening rounds of the 2024 season.
Updated components, including a lighter Aeroscreen and gearbox housing, were installed on all cars, but none of the hybrid powertrain components were added. These electrification pieces are scheduled to be implemented in the second part of the upcoming season.
Most of the drivers who participated in Monday’s testing will step aside while their teammates have their turn on Tuesday.
One notable exception is Pato O’Ward, who took the wheel of David Malukas’ #6 car for the first day of testing while the young driver recovers from a broken wrist.
O’Ward will complete laps in his own #5 car on Tuesday, ensuring that both cars are ready for the first race on the streets of St. Petersburg on March 10.
He will be joined by the rest of the IndyCar field, including Will Power, Santino Ferrucci, and Romain Grosjean.