Kyle Kirkwood was fastest during Practice 1 at the Streets of Detroit, despite contact with Will Power in the first session.
Entering the Detroit GP, Championship Leader Alex Palou won the historic Indy 500. Historically, the Indy 500 winner does fare well on the Streets of Detroit. However, Palou has won five out of six races this season so far.
Practice 1 was split into 3 sections, one 40-minute session with all driver, then two 12-minute sessions split between the grid. The two separated sessions are necessary due to the tight nature of the Streets of Detroit. Rookies are able to take part in both split session to get more learning time in Practice 1.
All cars on track
Nolan Siegel was the first one to set a time with a 1:11.9787 then went faster with a 1:06.4471. Kyffin Simpson, second driver to set a lap, followed by Scott Dixon.
Sting Ray Robb caused a Red Flag 8 minutes into Practice 1. Siegel was the still the fastest so far with a 1:05.0355.
The Green Flag was flown soon after with Siegel, Simpson, and Dixon in the Top three. Soon, Alexander Rossi took Dixon third place spot with a 1:06.506. Simpson went fastest with a 1:04.5479.
Twelve minutes into the session Simpson, Rossi, Siegel, Callum Ilott, Robert Shwartzman are in the Top 5 respectively. Will Power locked up the front of his car at Turn 6. His time with the lock-up was a 1:11.2161.
Robb was back on track after hitting the wall at Turn 1 causing the previous Red Flag. Rinus VeeKay went second fastest, soon after, Kyle Kirkwood went fastest with a 1:03.7931. Rossi topped the charts, taking Kirkwood’s spot with a 1:03.7666.
Power pushed Kirkwood’s car after he was trying to faster. Power had no damage to his car, however, the No. 27 car’s floor was damaged after Power’s move.
Halfway into the first part of Practice 1, VeeKay, Rossi, Kirkwood, Power and Simpson are in the Top 5. Championship Leader Palou found himself back at the top of the charts with a 1:03.0381. Soon, David Malukas topped the chars with a 1:02.8129.
Marcus Ericsson topped the charts with a 1:02.8129. Josef Newgarden was third fastest with a 1:03.0371.
With 10 minutes left with all drivers on track, Malukas, Ericsson, Newgarden, Palou, and Rosenqvist are in the Top 5. Scott McLaughlin took to the track and able to go sixth with a 1:03.3022.
With minutes left, Malukas was able to keep his fastest time with a 1:02.8129. Rosenqvusit spun out at Turn 1 and barely missed the wall, we were able to get his car up and running, but the checkered flag was flown for this part of Practice 1.
Split Session 1
In the first split session, Simpson, Rossi, Herta, Christian Lundgaard started the session with the green walled tires.
As cars crossed the start finish line, Santino Ferrucci went fastest with a 1:07.46.18. Rossi topped the chart with a 1:03.6651.
Power, Palou, and Simpson all found themselves stopped on the track, but all made it back to practice.
Lundgaard went fastest with a 1:03.2408 and Jacob Abel almost hit the wall. Herta took the top start with a 1:02.6140. The Top 3 were Lundgaard, Herta, and Simpson.
Louis Foster went third fastest with a 1:02.9874. Soon after, Josef Newgarden went fastest with a 1:02.4819.
With minutes left in the split session, Devil Defrancesco went to eighth place with a 1:03.8319. Power went fastest with a 1:02.3868. The Top 3 two and a half minutes left, the Top 5 were Power, Newgarden, Lundgaard, Herta, and Foster. Graham Rahal was in sixth with a 1:06.3852.
Power, Newgarden, and Lundgaard finished in the Top 3 during the first Split Session
Split Session 2
Pato O’Ward was the fastest at first with a 1:06.5573, soon after Kirkwood went fastest with a 1:05.4342. The Top 5 four minutes in were Kirkwood, Rasmussen, O’Ward, Foster, and McLaughlin.
VeeKay took his fastest lap five minutes in was a 1:04.1118. Halfway thought the session, Kirkwood, O’Ward, Rasmussen, Ilott, and Shwartzman were in the Top 5.
Palou found himself take to the runoff and was the slowest driver in the session.
With less than three minutes left, Kirkwood still toped the charts. Rasmussen locked up twice at the same corner with cars driving on the City of Detroit street paint as driver wait for the streets to rubber in.
Palou tried to get out of the bottom of the charts once the checkered flag was flown. He was able to go seventh fastest with a 1:04.7442.
O’Ward found himself in the runoff after trying to set one final timed lap.
Kirkwood was the fastest driver in the second split session, with McLaughlin and O’Ward rounding off the Top 3.
Kirkwood was also overall fastest in Practice 1 with a 1:01.750. McLaughlin and Power finish off an all Chevy Top 3 at their home of the Streets of Detroit.
Overall session Classification
- Kyle Kirkwood
- Scott McLaughlin
- Will Power
- Josef Newgarden
- Christian Lundgaard
- Colton Herta
- Pato O’Ward
- Louis Foster
- Rinus Veekay
- Graham Rahal
- David Malukas
- Marcus Ericsson
- Christian Rasmussen
- Marcus Armstrong
- Alex Palou
- Felix Rosenqvist
- Callum Illot
- Scott Dixon
- Robert Schwartzman
- Kyffin Simpson
- Alexander Rossi
- Devlin DeFrancesco
- Sting Ray Robb
- Santino Ferucci
- Jacob Abel
- Nolan Siegel
- Conor Daly
