P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The NTT IndyCar Series drivers hit the streets of Long Beach on Friday afternoon, shortly after IMSA was done with
“IndyCar once again chose to experiment with the format of Friday’s lone practice session by splitting the field into two groups for part of the allotted time. All 27 drivers were allowed to turn laps on the 1.97-mile street course in the first 45 minutes but then only had one of two 10-minute sessions following immediately after. This split running aims to give fans more time with cars on track and allow drivers to set complete laps without traffic hindrances. The format, which was also used at the St. Petersburg race earlier this year, received positive feedback from the paddock. Pato O’Ward topped the timesheets with a 1:06.6874 lap time, closely followed by Will Power and Scott McLaughlin in a Chevy one-two-three. Felix Rosenqvist impressed with the fourth-best time using his Honda-powered machine. The use of harder Firestone tires meant the second flying lap was fastest, likely posing challenges for drivers during the race weekend and after pit stops. Theo Pourchaire debuted impressively, avoiding incidents and displaying good speed, clocking faster laps than several seasoned competitors. Kyle Kirkwood faced shifting issues, while overall, the practice session saw no major incidents except for two stoppages, one of which affected Kyffin Simpson’s track time. The second practice session is scheduled for Saturday morning.”
