P1racenews AI automatic summary:
IndyCar restarts changed for 2024, split practice trialed in St. Pete
The 2024 season will kick off at the 1.8-mile street circuit with a 75-minute session at 2:45 p.m. ET on Friday, March 8, where teams will face a unique schedule. The field of 27 cars will be split into two groups after the initial 20-minute ‘All Cars’ session to help clear traffic and allow teams to work on their setups. During the first practice session, teams will use Firestone’s softer alternates with a sustainable guayule rubber compound, as per the new rules released by IndyCar. The second practice session on Saturday, March 9, will run for one hour, followed by knockout-round qualifying at 2 p.m. ET. Sunday will see a 30-minute warm-up at 9:30 a.m. ET before the 100-lap race starts at 12:30 p.m. ET, featuring new restart procedures where passing is only allowed after a designated point in the final corner. These changes aim to enhance the competition in North America’s premier open-wheel championship for the upcoming season.
