The NTT IndyCar Series conducted the first of two scheduled open test days at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Wednesday, providing drivers and teams with an opportunity to prepare for the upcoming Indy 500.
Due to inclement weather predicted for the day, series officials made adjustments to the schedule in order to maximize the amount of track time for the drivers.
The initial two-hour session commenced at approximately 9:00 AM local time, allowing drivers with recent experience on speedways to complete laps around the 2.5-mile oval.
Scott McLaughlin wasted no time and set the first fast lap as soon as the green flag waved, followed closely by 27 other competitors.
Josef Newgarden, the reigning Indy 500 champion, concluded the morning session with the fastest lap time, completing a lap in 39.3338 seconds at an average speed of 228.811 MPH.
Kyle Larson, the NASCAR champion, impressed by setting the second fastest time, showcasing his adaptability to the increased speed ahead of his Indy 500 / Coke 600 double attempt next month.
Scott Dixon and Alex Palou secured the third and fourth fastest times respectively, with McLaughlin rounding out the top five.
Callum Ilott, despite not having an official ride in IndyCar this year, continued to fill in for the injured David Malukas during the opening session. Ilott completed only seven laps in the #6 Arrow McLaren Chevy as the team focused on different aspects of the car’s setup.
The number of laps completed varied widely among the drivers during the morning session, with Palou reaching just over 50 laps while Christian Lundgaard managed only six laps in the limited time available.
Following the initial runs by experienced drivers, rookies and those in need of a refresher course were given the opportunity to gradually increase their speed and confidence on the track.
Marco Andretti, Katherine Legge, Pietro Fittipaldi, Christian Rasmussen, Nolan Siegel, and Kyffin Simpson had the track to themselves as light rain threatened to disrupt their runs. They successfully completed the designated number of laps at incremental speeds just moments before the expected rain arrived.
Unfortunately, the five and a half hours of track time scheduled for the afternoon, which would have allowed all competitors to gather valuable data simultaneously, was canceled after a mere eight minutes.
Teams were further disappointed when they examined the weather forecast, which predicted consistent rain throughout the day on Thursday in Indianapolis. This suggests that the second day of the test session is likely to be a washout.
At this time, it remains uncertain whether IndyCar will designate Friday as a makeup test day or if teams will have to wait until the official practice sessions in May to continue their preparations for the Indy 500.