On the streets of St Petersburg on Saturday, we loved an amazing battle for pole between Staff Penske’s Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden and Felix Rosenqvist, who moved to Meyer Shank Racing from Arrow McLaren within the off season.
Rosenqvist set a brand new observe document in Q2 on his contemporary intermediate tires, having additionally set the tempo in opening observe on Friday. However he fell 0.0058s wanting a sixth profession pole.
As an alternative, it was Newgarden’s 17th pole – his final coming at Detroit in 2022. Penske’s qualifying type of late on street and road programs has been wanting, other than Scott McLaughlin’s pole at Nashville final season.
It’s the closest entrance row for an IndyCar road race since June 2012 at Detroit’s Belle Isle observe, when Scott Dixon edged Will Energy by 0.0044s. Additionally not dangerous when you think about (as then) that it’s two totally different engine producers powering them (Newgarden with Chevrolet, Rosenqvist with Honda).
Maybe tellingly, Newgarden begins 13 spots greater than the place he certified right here final 12 months. Romain Grosjean’s pole time of 59.5532s for Andretti Autosport in 2023 simply shades Newgarden’s 59.5714s of 2024, although this 12 months’s automotive is lighter on account of some modified elements, together with the aeroscreen, and a few resurfacing work at Flip 3.
Rosenqvist begins six locations greater than the place he certified for McLaren final season, whereas his former team-mate Pato O’Ward – who seemed set for pole till a giant slide at Flip 10 – matching his 2023 place of third.
Andretti International’s Colton Herta is down two spots on 2023 right here, however you’ll be able to clarify that one away by him choosing main tires in Q3.
“We thought our name to do the Firestone Quick Six on main tires was proper, but it surely’s robust to say,” he shrugged. “We have been struggling a bit bit on [alternates] in comparison with most individuals, so we wished to do one thing a bit bit totally different to offer ourselves a shot.
“I don’t know the place we’d have ended up had we completed [it] otherwise.”
Romain Grosjean, Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet
Picture by: Josh Tons / Motorsport Pictures
Grosjean is down 4 spots on his 2023 pole place, however he was mighty happy together with his efficiency given minnows Juncos Hollinger Racing, who snatched him up after his fractious Andretti exit, may solely handle 21st and 22nd right here final 12 months.
“It is extremely satisfying,” he beamed. “This 12 months I hoped we may get into the Quick Six however I wasn’t precisely certain about it.
“It’s an excellent qualifying, every part has clicked, and it’s clear the place the advance must be made and we’ll strive.”
Andretti International’s Marcus Ericsson is down two positions on his fourth with Chip Ganassi Racing, from the place he went on to win the 2023 season opener.
Rinus VeeKay, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Picture by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Pictures
The most important mover is Ed Carpenter Racing’s Rinus Veekay, up a mighty 17 spots on his efficiency final 12 months.
“We missed it by such a small margin,” he mentioned of transferring to the Quick Six. “There’s at all times twelve-thousands extra in there, but it surely was a great run and I’m fairly proud of it.”
The opposite members of the Penske trio have been fairly just like their 2023 type, with Energy up two locations and McLaughlin down three.
Marcus Armstrong was the very best performing Ganassi driver, up three spots on his beginning place final 12 months, and he believed there was extra to return: “It’s going to take me just a few moments to recover from that common qualifying lap,” he rued of his Q2 time.
However with Dixon 11th and champion Alex Palou 13th – regardless of recording very comparable occasions to what they managed final 12 months – it displays an excellent tighter area unfold than 2023. With its rookies Linus Lundqvist 19th and Kyffin Simpson 23rd, it’s fairly a drop from CGR’s fourth, seventh, ninth and 13th final 12 months.
Andretti’s Kyle Kirkwood was the massive loser, nevertheless, 13 spots down on his fifth of final 12 months – when he crashed out of Q3 and began fifth.
This time he (and his workforce) misjudged when the alternate tires can be at their greatest in Q1, so he pushed a lap too late. He’d additionally shunted in FP2 at Flip 2, to additional dent his confidence.
