IndyCar Series Practice Session Report: Herta Tops Cool Morning in Detroit
Cool 50-degree weather greeted IndyCar Series drivers for the morning practice session on Saturday in Detroit, leading to a challenging track environment marked by frequent brake lockups and minor collisions. A field of 27 drivers struggled to gain grip on the bumpy street circuit.
Colton Herta of Andretti Global emerged as the session leader, clocking a lap time of 1m02.782s in the No. 26 Honda. This performance, a shift from the previous day’s fastest driver—teammate Kyle Kirkwood—showcased Andretti’s continued competitive edge.
Key Practice Session Results:
- Colton Herta (No. 26 Honda) – 1m02.782s
- Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Chevy) – +0.117s
- Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 Honda) – +0.160s
- Callum Ilott (No. 90 Chevy) – +0.363s
- Louis Foster (No. 45 Honda) – +0.387s
- Felix Rosenqvist (No. 60 Honda) – +0.482s
The session began with quick laps from Kirkwood and Foster, who initially set notable times of 1m04.287s and 1m03.097s, respectively. Herta soon took control, followed closely by Alexander Rossi, who posted a time of 1m02.974s.
Midway through the session, Marcus Ericsson set a quick time of 1m02.532s, with Christian Rasmussen later claiming P1 at 1m02.315s before Foster retook the lead with 10 minutes remaining.
As the session progressed, Kirkwood and Herta exchanged positions at the top, with Herta reclaiming his lead in the final moments, solidifying Andretti’s strong performance.
Summary:
Herta’s dominant pace establishes Andretti Global as a formidable force for the upcoming qualifying session, set to begin at 12 PM ET today on FOX Sports 1. This practice session highlighted the intense competition within the series and the ongoing challenges presented by the Detroit circuit.
With a mix of strategy and skill, the drivers look to capitalize on their practice insights in the quest for pole position.
