Tag: NTT Indycar Series

O’Ward Tops Practice 2

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Pato O’Ward led the morning practice at Mid-Ohio with a lap of1:05.9862, edging Graham Rahal by 0.0423 seconds. Five teams placed a car in the top five:

Teams were allowed to use alternate tires this morning because the rain yesterday didn’t allow for a good read on how the red tires would work with the added weight.

Colton Herta brought out a red flag when he slid into the tire barrier in turn 12. Kyffin Simpson later stalled his car and caused another stoppage. The hybrid system which is supposed to allow drivers to restart their cars without assistance is not operational because of a software glitch. It is one of the teething problems of a new technology I suppose. Several drivers had off course excursions as they adjust to the added weight of the hybrid unit..

Indycar qualifying begins at 3 pm Eastern.

Results

Mid-Ohio Saturday- Another Test for the Hybrid

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Photo by Kyle McInnes

Today’s schedule:

Gates open at 7:00 AM

8:25 AM – 9:15 AM USF Pro 2000 Race 1

9:40 AM – 10:25 AM INDY NXT Practice 2

10:50 AM – 11:50 AM NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2 Peacock, Indycar radio

12:10 PM – 12:50 PM USF Juniors Race 2

1:05 PM – 1:45 PM USF2000 Race 2

2:05 PM – 2:35 PM INDY NXT Qualifying

2:20 PM – 2:40 PM USF Pro 200 Autograph Session in USF Championships Paddock

2:45 PM – 3:05 PM USF Juniors Autograph Session in USF Championships Paddock

3:00 PM – 4:30 PM NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying Peacock, Indycar radio

3:10 PM – 3:30 PM USF2000 Autograph Session in USF Championships Paddock

4:30 PM – 5:15 PM INDY NXT Autograph Session at American Legion in Midway

4:50 PM – 5:40 PM USF Pro 2000 Race 2

Dusk Fireworks Display Sunset is 9:04 PM ET

Good morning from Mid-Ohio. Today the new hybrid unit gets its first test in qualifying. How will it be used? How much difference will it make?

Yesterday’s limited practice time did not allow the drivers and teams to learn as much as they wanted to. The morning practice will be quite busy today.

Alex Palou told the media last night, “I think everybody with the hybrid system wants to get reads on all the stages and also get the car where we want because with the repave, everything changed quite a lot,” Palou said. “It’s going to be exciting tomorrow.”

Notes

There is no rain in the forecast the rest of the weekend. High today should be 80 degrees.

It’s nice being back at an Indycar race, and it is a strange feeling that this my first Indycar race since the 500. Familiarity and comfort are always a good thing.

I learned that the fire on Agustin Canapino’s car yesterday was from a loose oil line, and not related to the hybrid unit or the engine.

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Palou Leads Mid-Ohio Practice 1

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Alex Palou led the first practice of the hybrid era in a session interrupted by two red flags and cars electing to stay on pit lane when the rain began.

Agustin Canapino had what appeared to be a brake fire, which brought out the first red flag. Marcus Armstrong spun and could not refire the car. Elsewhere on track Jack Harvey spun. During the second red flag, rain began.

Cars sat on pit road until about 10 minutes left. Pato O’Ward ventured out for just a couple laps. Kyle Kirkwood then followed and stayed out for several circuits. Alexander Rossi and Colton Herta took a few laps just before the checkered flag.

Tracking the Hybrids

The Indycar app has added hybrid tracking tomits data. It is included in the all data section and also has a ndedicated section

The lightning bolt indicates the unit is deployed

NBC will also display a graphic showing deployment.

In a post practice media conference, Pato O’Ward said oft he hybrid, “You can definitely feel it when you engage it.”

He added that he tinks the unit is capable of so much more.

“Let’s really push this system and see how much you can really give us.”

Results

The New Power Era Begins- Mid Ohio Preview

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It has been a tough hill to climb, but Indycar finally debuts its hybrid power system this weekend at Mid Ohio as the series launches the second half of the season.

The new unit is an energy recovery system developed collaboratively by Honda and Chevrolet. It sits behind the engine at the rear of the car.

In a media availability Tuesday, jay Frye talked about the ERS’s use as a compliment to Push to Pass. It can be used with P2P or separately. While P2P still has a limit for the race, there is no limit on deploying the hybrid system.

Will the new system help fuel mileage? It is possible, but maybe not right away. It would be nice to not have fuel saving races anymore.

The one immediate benefit the hybrid presents is the ability for drivers to restart their stalled cars without assistance. We could see fewer red flags in practice and qualifying, and fewer cautions during the race.

Will we see improved racing? The jury is out on that, but I don’t think we will see much difference, at least not this year. The system only provides 60 additional horsepower. The horsepower will be raised for 2025 according to Frye. The series wants to use the rest of 2024 to see how it performs and get everyone acclimated to it.

Fans will be able to monitor hybrid usage on the Indycar app. NBC will also display its usage on a graphic during the race. The system is allowed in practice and qualifying.

Another Repaved Track

Mid-Ohio joins Laguna Seca and road America as tracks that have been repaved in the last two years. This weekend is IndyCar’s first time on the new surface at Mid-Ohio. We have seen lots of slipping and sliding on new pavement at other tracks, so this could be a wild weekend.

Drivers will be dealing with new slick pavement and a new engine propulsion system. I can’t wait.

Silly Season

Christian Lundgaard and Alexander Rossi enter the Mid-Ohio weekend after announcing they will have new teams in 2025. Lundgaard will replace Rossi at Arrow McLaren. Rossi is optimistic that he will be in Indycar next year. I don’t expect to see much change in their performances the rest of the year.

It is possible we hear more news at the track about 2025 lineups.

As far as who will win, I am going with Alexander Rossi. He has been close nearly every weekend. I think this is the Sunday he finally breaks through.

The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid Fast Facts 

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From Indycar:

 Race weekend: Friday, July 5-Sunday, July 7
Track: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, a 13-turn, a 2.258-mile permanent road course in Lexington, Ohio
Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES
The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid: 80 laps / 180.64 miles
INDY NXT by Firestone INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio: 35 laps / 79.03 miles / 55 minutes
Push to Pass parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES200 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation
INDY NXT by Firestone150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation
Hybrid energy deployment parameters:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 280 kilojoules (kj) per lap.
Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Six sets primary, four sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. Teams must use one set of primary and one new set of alternate tires unless wet conditions are declared. One additional set is available for the weekend’s first session to teams fielding a rookie driver.
INDY NXT by Firestone Three new sets to be used during the event weekend. Two carryover sets from the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca event may be used during pre-qualifying practice sessions Friday and Saturday.
X: @Mid_Ohio, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #Honda200, #INDYCAR
Instagram: @officialmidohio, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCAR
Threads: @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT
Facebook: @MidOhioSportsCarCourse, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCAR
TikTok: @INDYCAR, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCARY
ouTube: @INDYCAR
Event website: www.midohio.com
INDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com
INDY NXT by Firestone website: www.indynxt.com
2023 race winners:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Alex Palou (No. 10 The American Legion Honda
)INDY NXT by Firestone Louis Foster (No. 26 Andretti Autosport)2023 NTT P1 Award winner: Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda) 1:06.3096, 122.589 mph
2023 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winner:Christian Rasmussen (No. 6 HMD Motorsports), 1:11.4998, 113.690 mph
Qualifying lap record: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Simon Pagenaud, 1:03.8700, 127.271 mph, July 30, 2016I
NDY NXT by FirestoneOliver Askew, 1:10.8079, 114.801 mph, July 27, 2019
NBC Sports race telecast: The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid, 1:30 p.m. ET Sunday, July 7, NBC (live). Kevin Lee is the play-by-play announcer for NBC Sports’ coverage of the The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Georgia Henneberry and Charlie Kimball are the pit reporters.
Peacock Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on Peacock, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product, while NBC Sports’ race telecast of The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid will be simulcast on the streaming service. The INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio will be streamed on Peacock, with practice and qualifying being shown on INDYCAR LIVE.
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query and Nick Yeoman are the turn announcers. Michael Young, Alex Wollf and DJ Clark are the pit reporters. The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid race (1 p.m. ET Sunday), INDY NXT Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio (11:10 a.m. ET Sunday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 218, racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.
At-track schedule (all times local):
FRIDAY, JULY 5 
2:05-2:55 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Practice 1, INDYCAR Live
3:20-4:35 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1, Peacock SATURDAY, JULY 6
9:40-10:25 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Practice 2, INDYCAR Live
10:50-11:50 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2 (45 minutes of green flag or 60 total minutes), Peacock
2:05-2:35 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Qualifying (Two groups, 12 minutes each), INDYCAR Live
3-4:30 p.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (Three rounds of knockout qualifying), Peacock
SUNDAY, JULY 7
10:25-10:55 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Final Practice, Peacock
11:20 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio command to start engines11:25 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio (35 laps/55 minutes), Peacock
1:05 p.m. – Driver introductions
1:46 p.m. – The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid command to start engines
1:53 p.m. – The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid (80 laps/180.64 miles), NBC (live)
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes:
This weekend marks the start of the INDYCAR SERIES hybrid power unit era – further extending INDYCAR’s efforts to deliver the most compelling, challenging and engaging racing product on the planet. INDYCAR’s new hybrid power unit, a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the Indianapolis-based sanctioning body, Honda and Chevrolet, pairs the existing 2.2-liter twin-turbocharged V6 combustion engine with groundbreaking supercapacitor hybrid technology. A low-voltage (48V) motor generator unit (MGU) is paired to an energy storage system (ESS), both of which fit into the bellhousing between the engine and the gearbox. The MGU builds power that is stored in the ESS’ 20 supercapacitors. The additional horsepower is deployed through the same motor generator on drivers’ demand. The hybrid power unit (280 kilojoules per lap at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course) will be available in addition to traditional Push to Pass on road and street circuits (200 seconds at a maximum of 20 seconds per push at Mid-Ohio). Used simultaneously, the package will provide an additional 120+ horsepower on driver demand.
The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid will be the ninth race of the 2024 season.
There have been six winners in eight NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season. Pato O’Ward (Streets of St. Petersburg), Scott Dixon (Streets of Long Beach and Streets of Detroit), Scott McLaughlin (Barber Motorsports Park), Alex Palou (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca), Josef Newgarden (Indianapolis 500) and Will Power (Road America) have all won in 2024. The modern record (1946-present) for the most different winners in a season is 11 in 2000, 2001 and 2014.
The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid will be the 41st INDYCAR SERIES race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Alex Palou won the race in 2023. Johnny Rutherford won the first INDYCAR SERIES race at Mid-Ohio, in 1980.
Scott Dixon is the winningest INDYCAR SERIES driver at Mid-Ohio with six victories (2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019). Emerson Fittipaldi won at Mid-Ohio three times, while Michael Andretti, Helio Castroneves, Teo Fabi, Josef Newgarden, Bobby Rahal, Al Unser Jr. and Alex Zanardi all won at Mid-Ohio twice. Past winners Dixon, Newgarden (2017, 2021), Graham Rahal (2015), Alexander Rossi (2018), Will Power (2020-Race-1), Colton Herta (2020-Race 2), Scott McLaughlin (2022) and Alex Palou (2023) are entered this year.
ACTIVE RACE WINNERWINSSEASONS
Scott Dixon62007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019
Josef Newgarden22017, 2021
Graham Rahal12015
Alexander Rossi12018
Will Power12020 Race 1
Colton Herta12020 Race 2
Scott McLaughlin12022
Alex Palou12023

Fifteen drivers have won the race from the pole – Mario Andretti (1984), Bobby Rahal (1985), Roberto Guerrero (1987), Teo Fabi (1989), Michael Andretti (1990, 1991), Al Unser Jr. (1994), Alex Zanardi (1996), Patrick Carpentier (2002), Paul Tracy (2003), Scott Dixon (2011), Simon Pagenaud (2016), Alexander Rossi (2018), Will Power (2020-Race 1), Colton Herta (2020-Race 2) and Josef Newgarden (2021). Power has won five poles at Mid-Ohio, the most of any driver

Active Pole Winners

Will Power 5 2010, 2012, 2017, 2019, 2020 Race 1

Scott Dixo 2 2011, 2015

Colton Herta 2 2020 Race 2, 2023

Alexander Rossi 1 2018

Josef Newgarden 1 2021

Pato O’Ward 1 2022

Twenty-two drivers entered in the event have competed in past INDYCAR SERIES races at Mid-Ohio. Scott Dixon (20) has made the most starts at Mid-Ohio among the entered drivers. Nine drivers have led laps at the track (Dixon 263, Will Power 206, Josef Newgarden 162, Alexander Rossi 71, Colton Herta 92, Alex Palou 48, Graham Rahal 30, Felix Rosenqvist 15 and Marcus Ericsson 3).
Chip Ganassi Racing has won 12 times at Mid-Ohio, including nine of the 18 races sanctioned by INDYCAR. Ganassi’s winning drivers are Alex Zanardi (1996, 1997), Juan Pablo Montoya (1999), Scott Dixon (2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014. 2019), Dario Franchitti (2010), Charlie Kimball (2013) and Alex Palou (2023).
Team Penske also has 12 wins at the track with Emerson Fittipaldi (1992, 1993), Al Unser Jr. (1994, 1995), Helio Castroneves (2000, 2001), Ryan Briscoe (2008), Simon Pagenaud (2016), Josef Newgarden (2017, 2021), Will Power (2020-Race 1) and Scott McLaughlin (2022).
Scott Dixon has finished in the top five in 14 of his 20 starts at Mid-Ohio, including six wins between 2007 and 2020 … Will Power has finished in the top five in 11 of his 16 starts at Mid-Ohio … Kyle Kirkwood won eight of nine development series starts from 2018-21.Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 331st consecutive start, extending his series record streak … Alexander Rossi will attempt to make his 140th consecutive start and become the 19th driver ever to make 140 or more consecutive NTT INDYCAR SERIES starts…Arrow McLaren will make its 500th NTT INDYCAR SERIES start this weekend.

INDY NXT by Firestone Notes:
The INDY NXT by Firestone title fight between Jacob Abel and Louis Foster hits its midpoint with the series’ annual visit to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Foster, who has recorded five straight top-two finishes, heads to Mid-Ohio with a 35-point lead over Abel, a two-time race winner this season.
The ultra-competitive 2024 season has seen four winners in eight races to start the season and eight different drivers finish on the podium.
Louis Foster returns to Mid-Ohio looking for his third consecutive race win in 2024 and fourth in the last five races. The 20-year-old British driver scored his first INDY NXT win in 2023 at Mid-Ohio and could become the sixth driver since 2018 to record a three-race win streak.
Three of the previous five drivers – Linus Lundqvist, Kyle Kirkwood and Oliver Askew – won the INDY NXT by Firestone championship.
The INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio will be the series’ 36th race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course dating to the American Racing Series race in 1986. Previous INDY NXT by Firestone winners at Mid-Ohio include Paul Tracy, Bryan Herta, Townsend Bell, Raphael Matos, Jack Harvey, Pato O’Ward, Kyle Kirkwood and Linus Lundqvist.
Push to Pass could play a key strategic role at Mid-Ohio as INDY NXT by Firestone drivers will have a bank of 150 seconds to use an added 50 horsepower to assist in overtaking, similar to the drivers in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
The maximum amount of time for each press of the overtake system is 15 seconds.
Group qualifying will decide the starting grid on road and street circuits. Based on the best lap times from the practice session immediately preceding qualifying, the fastest driver in that session will choose which group will compete in the first of the two qualifying sessions. With 12 minutes allotted for each group (with a guarantee of one timed lap), the fastest driver between the two sessions will be awarded pole position with the drivers who finished behind that driver, in order and in that group, occupying the odd-numbered starting positions (3, 5, 7, etc.) for the race and the drivers who finished in order from the other group occupying the even-numbered starting positions (2, 4, 6, etc.). One driver and entrant championship point will be awarded to the fastest car in each qualifying group. 

Lundgaard In, Rossi Out at Arrow McLaren for 2025

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Musical chairs continue at McLaren, as the announces they have signed Christian Lundgaard for 2025. The current Rahal Letterman Lanigan driver replace Alexander Rossi, who will leave the team after not being able to reach an agreement.

The announcement from Arrow McLaren:

Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team announced today that its 2025 driver lineup is confirmed with the addition of Christian Lundgaard who will join Pato O’Ward and Nolan Siegel in the team’s three-car lineup following the close of this season.

Christian, who is currently 11th in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship standings, will pilot the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, as the team mutually parts ways with Alexander Rossi, who is in his second season with the team and finished ninth in the championship in 2023.

Christian, 22, has had a strong start to his campaign in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES earning a win, two poles and three podiums throughout his early tenure. He made an immediate splash as the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, which he’s raced with through his three seasons in INDYCAR.

A native of Hedensted, Denmark, Christian remains the only Danish driver in INDYCAR SERIES history to boast a race win after a dominant performance on the streets of Toronto in 2023.

Before launching a professional career in North America, Christian was an Alpine development racer competing in the FIA Formula 2 Championship where he earned two wins and nine podiums across the 2020-21 seasons. He also raced with Alpine in the 2019 FIA Formula 3 Championship and produced a win, two podiums and two poles.

The trio of Pato, Nolan and Christian will make up one of the youngest teams in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Each driver has proven success on his resume that warrants a promising outlook for the Arrow McLaren team in the seasons to come.

Christian Lundgaard, Driver, NTT INDYCAR SERIES, said:

“I’m excited to have my plans set for 2025 and beyond, and I’m thrilled it’s with Arrow McLaren. I have a lot of respect for Zak, Gavin, Tony and the team, and I think Pato, Nolan and I will work well together. I’m focused 100% on finishing this season strong with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. We have a lot of the season left, but this is a huge weight off my shoulders that will hopefully let me compete at my best the next nine races.”

Alexander Rossi

Alexander Rossi, Driver, Arrow McLaren, said:

“My time at Arrow McLaren, while it’s been only short two seasons, has been rewarding in many ways. I’m grateful to have been part of the team’s internal growth. The No. 7 crew is fantastic, and I’ve built a lot of long-lasting friendships with the team. Zak, Gavin, Tony and I had many conversations over the last several months on my future with the team. We were not able to come to terms on a new deal, so the mutual decision to part ways is amicable. I’m very confident with current discussions in the paddock to land a new spot. I’ll have good news to follow soon, and meanwhile I’m focused on a top-five finish in the 2024 championship and a strong conclusion to my time in papaya.”

Gavin Ward, Team Principal, Arrow McLaren, said:

“Alexander has been an incredible teammate, and we’re grateful for our two seasons we’re racing with him. We wouldn’t be where we are today without him. Ultimately we couldn’t meet in the middle on terms, but we absolutely wish him the best and will do all we can the second half of the season to get him in the top five in the championship.

“Christian has had proven success in his few seasons racing in the series, and he checks the boxes for what we’re looking for in speed and potential alongside Pato and Nolan. The three make up the youngest trio on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES grid, and we know that direction has been paying off for our F1 counterparts with Lando and Oscar.

“We’re looking toward our long-term goal of sustained high performance, and I believe with these three drivers and the ongoing support of Arrow and all our amazing partners, we’re taking a good step in that direction for 2025.”