ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Scott McLaughlin of Group Penske is able to rebound from a disappointing 2025 NTT IndyCar Sequence season.
He proved that time within the season’s first official observe session on Friday on the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
The driving force of the No. 3 DEX Chevrolet had the quickest lap within the mixed observe session across the 13-turn, 1.8-mile momentary road course in downtown St. Petersburg.
McLaughlin’s greatest lap was 1:01.1020 for a velocity of 106.052 mph.
“First rate first day,” McLaughlin stated. “Clearly being P1 is a superb begin. The DEX Imaging Chevy was immediately quick and felt good and cozy. It’s good for us. It’s the beginning of an extended season and it was good to have a easy session to start out. We’ll maintain urgent on and see how we go.”
The mixed speeds for the afternoon had Felix Rosenqvist of Meyer Shank Racing second at 1:01.1660 (105.941 mph) within the No. 60 Honda. Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti International was third within the No. 27 Honda at 1:01.1777 (105.921 mph), adopted by Kyffin Simpson’s 1:01.1782 (105.920 mph) within the No. 8 Sunoco Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Marcus Ericsson of Andretti International rounded out the highest 5 at 1:01.1967 (105.888 mph) within the No. 28 Honda.
Within the first session the place all vehicles had been on observe, Group Penske’s Josef Newgarden slid off the observe to create a purple flag stoppage. Newgarden’s slid off the ultimate activate the observe however didn’t make contact
Newgarden refired the automotive and drive it down pit lane however was assessed a five-minute penalty for stopping observe.
At that time in observe, four-time NTT IndyCar Sequence champion Alex Palou was the quickest at 1:01.696 mph adopted by Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon at 1:01.799 mph within the No. 9 PNC Financial institution Honda. Rinus VeeKay of Juncos Hollinger Racing was third at 1:01.096 within the No. 76 Chevrolet adopted by Group Penske’s David Malukas’ at 1:01.914 within the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet at 1:01.914.
Later in observe, Malukas locked up the brakes however was in a position to maintain it on observe.
Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren was fifth at that time in observe at 1:01.970 within the No. 5 Chevrolet.
This was the 40-minute first session for all vehicles adopted by two teams that run in 12-minute session
The primary automotive to convey out a purple flag was the No. 19 automotive pushed by rookie Dennis Hauger of Dale Coyne Racing. It was for part of the automotive that created particles on the race observe.
The second purple flag was for Alexander Rossi’s spin in Flip 4. One minute later, it was again to race earlier than the third purple flag for Newgarden’s incident 9 laps later.
On the finish of the all-group session, Scott McLaughlin was the quickest driver with a lap at 1:01.5793 within the No. 3 DEX Chevrolet.
Palou was second at 1:01.694 adopted by Malukas at 1:01.726. Marcus Ericsson was third at 1:01.740 within the No. 28 Andretti International Honda. Dixon rounded out the highest 5 at 1:01.7999 within the No. 9.
The group session started at 2:24 p.m. ET.
Kyffin Simpson of Chip Ganassi Racing set the early tempo in that session at 1:01.178 within the No. 8 Sunoco Honda. Christian Rasmussen of ECR was subsequent within the No. 21 Java Home Chevrolet at 1:01.4828. Christian Lundgaard of Arrow McLaren was third at 1:01.532.
Marcus Armstrong, nevertheless, shuffled the speeds when the Meyer Shank Racing driver ran the second quickest lap at 1:01.339 within the No. 66 Honda with 5 minutes left within the session.
Scott Dixon had an enormous crash in Flip 9, pile driving the wall with a headfirst affect into the wall. That introduced out the purple flag.
In line with Chip Ganassi Racing, the automotive shall be repaired in time for Saturday morning’s observe.
Malukas drove via the particles subject, threading his manner via Dixon and the wall.
There was somewhat over one minute left within the first group when the observe went again to inexperienced with Simpson nonetheless on prime, however teammate Palou moved as much as second at 1:01.261.
The second session was interrupted shortly when Rahal Letterman Lanigan driver Louis Foster stuffed his No. 45 Honda into the tire barrier in Flip 13.
At the moment, Foster was the second-fastest within the session at 1:05.846. Andretti International’s Kyle Kirkwood was the quickest at 1:05.833 within the early moments of the ultimate session.
With 6:46 left within the remaining session, Romain Grosjean was the quickest at 1:02.847, however didn’t keep there lengthy as Kirkwood, Rinus VeeKay, Newgarden and Pato O’Ward all went quicker.
By the point observe concluded, McLaughlin of Group Penske was the quickest in that group at 1:01.102 within the No. 3 Chevrolet adopted by Felix Rosenqvist’s 1:01.166 within the No. 60 Honda for Meyer Shank Racing. Kirkwood was third at 1:01.1777 within the No. 27 Honda adopted by Simpson’s 1:01.1782 within the No. 8 Sunoco Honda.
Ericsson rounded out the highest 5 within the remaining session at 1:06.888 within the No. 28 Honda.
