David Malukas set the fastest time with a 1:08.167 in his No. 4 Chevrolet powered A.J Foyt car in Children’s of Alabama IndyCar Practice 2. With the rainy conditions, this practice session had two red flags as Pato O’Ward and Marcus Ericson found themselves out practice.
All is set at the Barber Motorsports Park to kick off Practice 2 for the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix Weekend. Driver and teams have their last change to gather data and perfect set ups before Qualifying later today.
After rainy conditions, a dry line is forming but the grass is wet and slippery. Any small mistake could cause a big incident that could hinder a race weekend.
Marcus Ericsson topped the Practice 1 charts with Reigning Champion Alex Palou and Colton Herta rounding out the Top 3 in second and third, respectively.
Start of Practice
In the first 7 minutes of green flag running in Practice 2 of the IndyCar Grand Prix in Alabama, Herta topped the charts with a 1:13.21. Herta, Santino Ferrucci, and Christan Rasmuseen were in the Top 3. Soon after Robert Shwartzan and Jacob Abel were in second and third place with the Israeli setting a 1:10.16 and the American with a 1:10.57.
Team Penske needed to change their the MGU (Motor Generator Unit), which delayed their entrance for Practice 2.
The Top Ten 12 minutes into the session are Herta, Rasmussen, Kyffin Simpson, Shwartzman, Abel, Rinus Veekay, Conor Daly, Ferrucci, and Sting Ray Robb. Soon after Veekay went fastest with a 1:09.15. Last race winner, Kyle Kirkwood went third fastest with a 1:09.42.
Devlin DeFrancesco set his Honda-powered RLL Car to third, later into second with a 1:08.96. Louis Foster went fastest 20 minutes into the session with a 1:08.55. David Malukas overtook Foster’s fastest lap with a 1:08.167.
Last Barber Race winner Scott McLaughlin crosses the line with a 1:08.582, making the back-to-back winner at Barber third fastest. Christian Lundgaard was able to put his Arrow McLaren second fastest with a 1:08.308.
Rain takes over
Officials flew the red flag 27 minutes into the session after Pato O’Ward lost the rear and crashed into the wall while entering the slippery grass.
With green conditions back, Joesf Newgarden made it to the track after a MGU issue caused a late entrance for Practice 2. With 13 minutes left of this practice session Malukas, Palou, Lundgaard, Power, Foster, McLaughlin, Shwartzman, Ferrucci, Kirkwood, Daly are the ten fastest in the wet conditions.
Red Flag flown again as Marcus Ericson crashed after he had a snap oversteer, over-correcting, and he entered the grass as slid into the wall like O’Ward. As during the Red Flag session, rain came down hard.
Officials brought out the green flag with a minutes left in the practice session, even though the rain continued. Since qualifying is expected to be wet, this track time could help drivers prepare for those conditions.
Herta, VeeKay, and Power found themselves in the grass at Turn 5. but was able to get get back on track. Turn 5 starts after a downhill which caries momentum into the corner. With the wet conditions, drivers had to take a different line to stay on track.
Practice 2 Results:
- David Malukas
- Alex Palou
- Christian Lundgaard
- Will Power
- Louis Foster
- Scott McLaughlin
- Robert Shwartzman
- Santino Ferrucci
- Kyle Kirkwood
- Conor Daly
- Rinus VeeKay
- Christian Rasmussen
- Devlin DeFrancesco
- Nolan Siegal
- Callum Ilott
- Alexander Rossi
- Colton Herta
- Jacob Abel
- Felix Rosenqvist
- Marcus Ericsson
- Kyffin Simpson
- Marcus Armstrong
- Scott Dixon
- Grahm Rahal
- Sting Ray Robb
- Pato O’Ward
- Josef Newgarden
