Honda Indy Toronto Practice Session Summary
Toronto, Canada – The opening practice session for the Honda Indy Toronto demonstrated significant track evolution, culminating in a dramatic improvement in lap times. Andretti Global’s Colton Herta topped the standings with a lap of 1m00.058s in the No. 26 Honda, leading an Andretti 1-2 alongside Kyle Kirkwood in the No. 27 Honda, who clocked in at 1m00.158s.
Key Results:
- Colton Herta (Andretti Global) – 1:00.058
- Kyle Kirkwood (Andretti Global) – 1:00.158
- Josef Newgarden (Team Penske) – 1:00.588
- Scott McLaughlin (Team Penske) – 1:00.628
- Pato O’Ward (Arrow McLaren) – 1:00.689
- Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing) – 1:00.730
Herta’s lap time surpassed the previous best by 1.7 seconds, underscoring the track’s improved grip as it evolved throughout the session. Kirkwood remarked, “Track gripped up a lot in that session. Kept getting faster and faster. We’ll see what happens in qualifying."
Session Highlights:
The 45-minute session began under clear skies, following an overnight repaving of the bumpy Turn 3 area. However, drivers continued to contend with existing bumps, leading to tire lock-ups and frequent use of the runoff area.
Early on, Louis Foster of Rahal Letterman Lanigan topped the timesheets with a 1m01.750s, but as the session progressed, the competitive field swapped positions rapidly. By the halfway point, numerous drivers, including Alexander Rossi and Marcus Ericsson, were vying for the top spots.
As the session wound down with ten minutes remaining, Kirkwood initially claimed P1 at 1m00.367s, maintaining a lead before Herta’s final surge. The session concluded under caution after Jacob Abel crashed, resulting in damage to his car but no reported injuries.
Upcoming Events:
Qualifying Session – Scheduled for 2:35 PM ET.
This practice serves as a precursor to an exciting qualifying round, with times improving consistently and competitors closely matched.
