IndyCar Practice at Barber Motorsports Park: Key Highlights
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The morning practice session for IndyCar at Barber Motorsports Park featured a drying track following heavy rain earlier in the week, allowing teams to gather critical data on Firestone’s primary tires before the main event.
Session Overview
David Malukas from AJ Foyt Racing topped the session with a lap time of 1:08.1661s in the No. 4 Chevrolet. This best time was achieved late in the 45-minute practice as drivers aimed to complete unencumbered qualifying simulations. At the halfway mark, Louis Foster from Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing held the fastest lap of 1:08.5567s in the No. 45 Honda.
Incidents
The session was interrupted twice due to crashes. Pato O’Ward (Arrow McLaren) encountered snap oversteer, resulting in his No. 5 Chevrolet leaving the track, making contact with a tire barrier. O’Ward reported, “I lost the rear… I was just a passenger,” and noted the damage was less severe than expected, although the steering column had issues.
A second red flag was prompted by Marcus Ericsson (Andretti Global) when he lost control at Turn 11, skidding across the grass before hitting the barriers. Fortunately, both drivers emerged uninjured.
Other Notable Performances
Alex Palou (Chip Ganassi Racing) secured second place with a lap of 1:08.1958s, while Christian Lundgaard (Arrow McLaren) followed closely in third with a time of 1:08.3082s.
Technical Notes
As rain began to fall near the end of the session, several drivers experienced difficulties with grip, testing the performance limits of their vehicles. Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden completed eight laps before his No. 2 Chevrolet was taken to the transporter for an engine issue.
Looking Ahead
Qualifying is scheduled for 2:35 PM ET, where teams will attempt to solidify their positions for the race.
Results Summary
- Fastest Lap: David Malukas – 1:08.1661s
- Second: Alex Palou – 1:08.1958s
- Third: Christian Lundgaard – 1:08.3082s
Stay tuned for updates as the qualifying unfolds later today.
