IndyCar’s opening practice session from the Indianapolis road course was topped by Alexander Rossi, who looked comfortable on the familiar course.
Rossi lapped the course 1:10.0919, which was just over one quarter of a second slower than May’s top qualifying lap around the same circuit.
Josef Newgarden, who was cleared to get behind the wheel after his loss of consciousness last weekend in Iowa, was not down on form. The two-time champion ended practice in second place, just 0.02 seconds behind Rossi’s fastest lap.
Newgarden will be evaluated again before qualifying to make sure that both he and the IndyCar medical staff are comfortable with him taking part in the rest of the weekend.
Colton Herta and Scott McLaughlin ended the session third and fourth respectively, with Alex Palou rounding out the top five as he continues his legal fight to decide where he will drive next season.
Christian Lundgaard was the highest placing rookie of practice, and logged the eighth fastest time of the 90-minute session.
There were no cautions to interrupt the morning practice, but Romain Grosjean and Pato O’Ward took a trip through gravel in the exit of turn 4.
Both were able to continue without needing assistance, but O’Ward made two almost identical runs off course and complained that his car was nearly undriveable on the radio.
His Arrow McLaren SP crew will attempt to track down what is causing his poor handling car before the knockout qualifying session taking place in just two hours’ time.
