IndyCar is visiting Laguna Seca for only the second time in the last 17 years, and drivers are rediscovering one of the aspects that makes the historic track such a favorite among drivers.
Rather than rewarding either forceful or careful driving, Laguna Seca tends to reward drivers for consistently placing their cars right at the limit of control.
In both practice sessions and again in qualifying, multiple drivers found themselves taking a trip through the dirt as they pushed the envelope a bit too far.
Not pushing hard enough, however, leaves a lot of lap time on the table, and can even upset the balance of the car through some of the 2.24-mile track’s steep elevation changes.
The balance of both concerns forces drivers to stay right at the limit as often as possible, bringing driver skill to the fore.
“This is a place that really doesn’t reward overdriving,” said Colton Herta after grabbing pole. “If you underdrive, it’s just as unrewarding.
“Especially at a place where the tires are very stiff and the track is very rough on them, you tend to get this car that kind of sits on top of the track and isn’t very compliant.
“If you brake five feet, 10 feet too late at a place like this, you might go 20 feet wide, where other places you might be able to hold onto it at the apex. So it is a tough track to drive.”
Unlike some other tracks that have ample runoff room, a small mistake at Laguna Seca can quickly lead to a torn up racecar.
Dirt and gravel immediately greet those that try to push a bit too hard, and the high speed of many of the corners can lead to race-ending outcomes.
“But also you can’t underdrive,” said Alexander Rossi after agreeing that it’s easy to overdrive the course. “It’s one of those places, it’s a pretty fine line.
“I think on street courses you’re rewarded for trying as hard as possible most of the time. Some of the road courses, it’s a little better.
“Like Indy GP, I feel it’s better to almost underdrive. Here you have to be on the 100%, not 101%, not 99%. It is a challenge. It’s hard to put the lap in.”
Rossi starts alongside Herta in Sunday afternoon’s race from Laguna Seca, with the green flag dropping at noon local time, 3:00 PM Eastern Time.
