The NTT IndyCar Series held its second practice session of the weekend on Saturday morning in St. Petersburg, with Christian Lundgaard setting the fastest lap. Lundgaard completed the 1.8-mile street circuit in 61.6157 seconds, showcasing impressive speed early in the day.
Christian Lundgaard IndyCar practice saw him achieve this top time while running on the harder compound tire, as most drivers avoided using their alternate tire sets on the damp track conditions. Lundgaard’s pace put him ahead of competitors including Marcus Armstrong, who was second fastest, and the reigning series champion Alex Palou in third place.
Track Conditions and Early Challenges on the Wet Circuit
The session began cautiously as lingering moisture from overnight storms left the streets slick, prompting many drivers to wait before venturing out. Will Power encountered the slippery conditions firsthand when he understeered into the concrete barriers at Turn 10 during his initial lap, becoming the first driver to crash in the session.
Following Power, Christian Rasmussen also lost control at Turn 2, sliding off with a significant impact into the wall nose-first. This incident mirrored difficulties others experienced with rear traction on the circuit earlier in the weekend. Despite the heavy crash, the car’s safety structure effectively absorbed the impact. AJ Foyt Racing’s Caio Collet experienced a crash as well, though his damage was less severe.
Session Progress and Data Gathering
As the track gradually dried, more drivers ventured out, and lap times improved steadily. Nolan Siegel led the field in laps completed, turning 28 circuits, which provided valuable data for his Arrow McLaren team to analyze. By the end of the session, the fastest laps were posted on a fully dry track near the checkered flag, signaling improving conditions for the remainder of the weekend.
Upcoming Qualifying and Event Schedule
The practice session concluded with drivers preparing for a temporary pause to accommodate the NASCAR Truck Series race. Track activity will resume with qualifying set for 4:35 PM Eastern Time, where teams will aim to optimize setups ahead of Sunday’s race.
“He was the first to crash, but not the last.” ?Source
“He appeared to lose traction in the rear while on the throttle, similar to the troubles drivers were having with rear grip on Friday.” ?Source
