Detroit Grand Prix Practice Report: Kirkwood Sets the Pace
Detroit, MI – Kyle Kirkwood led the first practice session for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, clocking a top lap of 1:01.751 in the No. 27 Andretti Global Honda. This performance comes on the heels of a challenging Indianapolis 500, showcasing Kirkwood’s resilience and skill.
Kirkwood’s time was 0.279 seconds quicker than Scott McLaughlin, who finished second in the No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet. Will Power, McLaughlin’s teammate, rounded out the top three, finishing 0.635 seconds off the leader. A notable incident occurred during the session when Power made contact with Kirkwood, damaging the rear of the No. 27 Honda. Kirkwood dismissed the incident, asserting, "I expect IndyCar to do the right thing with that… good day in the 27 Honda."
Power later reflected on the collision, humorously acknowledging his approach to gain a competitive edge: “I just moved him out of the way and got myself a gap.”
The top five was completed by Josef Newgarden in fourth (+0.731s) and Christian Lundgaard in fifth (+0.854s). Colton Herta secured sixth place (+0.863s).
Despite occasional mishaps, including three spins and a red flag caused by Sting Ray Robb’s collision with the barriers, the session was largely incident-free.
Early moments were reserved for installation laps, until Alex Palou briefly challenged for the lead with a time of 1:03.038 before David Malukas took over at the top with a 1:02.812. The session concluded with Malukas maintaining P1, followed by Ericsson, McLaughlin, Newgarden, Palou, and Lundgaard.
As the second group took to the track, Kirkwood’s blistering time went unmatched, leading the session and reaffirming Andretti’s potential for the weekend.
Next Up: Practice 2 is scheduled for Saturday at 9 AM ET, broadcast on FOX Sports 1.
