P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The Arrow McLaren team had high expectations for qualifying at Long Beach after Pato O’Ward paced Friday’s practice session, but an unproductive morning session on Saturday foretold what took place…
The Arrow McLaren team had high expectations for qualifying at Long Beach, especially after Pato O’Ward led in Friday’s practice session, but a challenging Saturday morning session hinted at the difficulties to come in setting the grid for the 85-lap race on Sunday. Alexander Rossi emerged as the top racer among the Arrow McLaren lineup, securing the 10th spot, while newcomer Theo Pourchaire wasn’t as prominent in the mix. Unfortunately, during qualifying, O’Ward and Rossi couldn’t advance into the Firestone Fast 12, with Rossi finishing 13th and O’Ward 14th, leaving Pourchaire in 22nd. Despite the setbacks, Rossi expressed bewilderment at the shift in performance, underlining the unpredictable nature of the series. O’Ward echoed the sentiment, attributing their predicament to practice adjustments but remained optimistic, highlighting the opportunity for improvement in the race. Team principal Gavin Ward emphasized the importance of turning challenges into learning opportunities, commending Pourchaire’s progress and looking ahead to gaining valuable insights from the upcoming race.
