At WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Saturday, Pato O’Ward and Chevrolet made a notable impact during the second NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice session, showcasing competitive speed and consistency ahead of the weekend’s racing events. This practice is a critical part of preparations for Sunday’s Java House Grand Prix of Monterey and is setting the tone for teams aiming to optimize their setups for qualifying and race day.
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES WeatherTech Practice took place mid-morning, with live coverage extending across FS1, INDYCAR Radio Network, and SiriusXM channel 218. Participants focused on adjustments to their cars to tackle the unique challenges of this renowned circuit, known for its technical corners and elevation changes.
Detailed Schedule Sets Stage for Intense Weekend Competition
Saturday’s schedule featured the second practice session at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time, followed by qualifying at 2:30 p.m., both broadcast on FS1 and radio networks. Sunday’s events commence with a warm-up session at noon ET, preparing drivers for the 95-lap Java House Grand Prix starting at 3 p.m. ET.
The weekend’s format demands teams extract critical data during practice sessions like the NTT INDYCAR SERIES WeatherTech Practice to refine strategies, particularly given Laguna Seca’s challenging surface conditions and tactical demands for tire management and overtaking.
Driver Insights Reflect Varying Challenges and Optimism
Multiple drivers spoke after practice, providing insight into their experience and outlook as they navigated the circuit’s complexities.
Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren Chevrolet pointed to a positive progression, saying,
“We rolled off really strong. I’m definitely happy with where we’re at in terms of speed. Obviously, we still have more work to do to be more consistent, but it’s been a very good day for us.”
—Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
Nolan Siegel echoed the challenges of setup, noting adjustments had mixed results,
“We rolled off strong and then made some changes that didn’t work. It’s difficult to miss out on some potential learnings for our only run on Firestone Alternate tires ahead of Qualifying, but I’m confident that we’ll get back to a proper window and have a good day tomorrow.”
—Nolan Siegel, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
Christian Lundgaard expressed frustration at the unexpected pace issues, stating,
“I’m a bit frustrated and surprised to be up there on the charts. This is one of those moments where we need to take our time this afternoon and tomorrow morning and make it better for tomorrow. I don’t know if we missed something or got it completely wrong, but we will investigate that.”
—Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren Chevrolet
Alexander Rossi from Ed Carpenter Racing recounted a setback on the curbing, which impacted his session, commenting,
“I bottomed a little bit on that kind of extended part of the curve, the green curb area, and then it was kind of a correction, and then it went the other way. So, you know, really unfortunate, to have that happen in practice one, and not be able to get an idea of the red. Anyways, it’s a shame. It’s not the way you want to start the weekend, especially a weekend like this with Java House. So, a lot of work to do to bounce back, but it seems like the cars are fast, so that’s an important thing, and we’ll just move on from it and get them tomorrow.”
—Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Christian Rasmussen also from Ed Carpenter Racing shared optimism despite needing tweaks,
“A good session for us, just trying to try to find the limits out here. Overall, pretty good. I don’t think I maximized completely on the lap, so I think there’s definitely some potential this weekend for us. Excited about that. Excited about ripping these colors here this weekend. This is obviously a huge weekend for us. Super excited to have Java House as the main sponsor of the event. So, it’s an exciting weekend for us. We have a couple things that we need to get tuned, but I think we can have a good weekend.”
—Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Additional challenges appeared during the session due to stoppages, with one driver commenting,
“I mean, there was definitely a couple stoppages that we would have liked to be without. I’m not sure what happened with Alex, but hopefully they got something out of it as well. We definitely learned something. We know what we need to work on to try and improve, and I think the gap is not that big. So, I think hopefully we can get there.”
Callum Ilott from PREMA Racing noted the circuit’s intricate grip variability, explaining,
Well, the track’s really difficult Um, I think for a lot of guys, it’s, uh, impressive the difference in grip and corners and even in the middle of the same corners. It’s peaking a lot and try to find the right balance is tough. I mean, for how difficult the car feels, I think we’re on the better side of it compared to some. The pace was quite good, we’re P4 in the group. But yeah, what an intense track, and it’s very different since when we came testing here in, I think February or January.
—Callum Ilott, PREMA Racing Chevrolet
On adapting to session conditions, Ilott added,
“I guess so. It’s Yeah, it’s part of it. It’s motor racing. We’ve got to fine tune everything. Yeah, not easy. Not easy.”
—Callum Ilott, PREMA Racing Chevrolet
Team Penske drivers also provided perspective on the day’s results. Josef Newgarden recounted the difficulty of the Corkscrew corner, stating,
“Laguna is a great place to race when you get it right, but when you are slightly off it can be very unforgiving. Just no room for error. Unfortunately, had some big rear lockup on the Astemo Chevy at the top of the Corkscrew and once you get in the rocks it’s hard to get yourself out. The day was solid up to that point. Tomorrow morning’s practice before qualifying will be very important.”
—Josef Newgarden, Team Penske Chevrolet
Scott McLaughlin reflected on the new package his team tried, noting it presented both challenges and hope,
“Not a bad day we brought a a very different package to the track that we’ve used before. I’m learning that. There’s some pros and cons to it, but I see light at the end of the tunnel. So, it wasn’t a great day but wasn’t a bad day, and we look forward to qualifying day.”
—Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske Chevrolet
Will Power emphasized ongoing improvements, saying,
“I think we learned a lot in that session; we’ve got plenty to improve on overnight. I’m really looking forward to getting to practice tomorrow and see where we can get ourselves to.”
—Will Power, Team Penske Chevrolet
Christian Lundgaard Reflects on Practice and Upcoming Challenges
During the post-practice news conference on Friday, Christian Lundgaard from Arrow McLaren Chevrolet provided a detailed assessment of his team’s performance and anticipated difficulties. Despite his best finish here being fifth place and holding fifth in the championship standings, Lundgaard admitted,
“If I’m going to be honest, not much. We were, I would say, a lot slower than we were anticipating, and we seemed to lack some pace, so we’ve got some work to do overnight to find that for tomorrow.”
He described the practice session as frustrating and recognized the importance of the second practice and qualifying in determining a successful race weekend. Lundgaard also acknowledged the critical nature of qualifying at Laguna Seca, where passing opportunities are limited, making grid position paramount.
He shared perspective on track temperatures and their impact on performance, explaining the cooler weather improved engine and downforce but noted tire behavior remained a factor to manage. Lundgaard confirmed his surprise at the slower pace and voiced strong intentions to investigate and improve setups, emphasizing,
“I think we need to take our time this afternoon and tomorrow morning to try to figure out how to make it better for tomorrow.”
Looking ahead, he expressed enthusiasm for the race, anticipating exciting tire degradation and competitive dynamics reminiscent of previous seasons. He also plans to contribute to the INDY NXT race telecast, aiming to provide insights on racing lines and overtaking challenges.
Tire and Track Condition Insights Reveal Increased Difficulty This Year
Drivers including Colton Herta and Christian Lundgaard offered analysis on the track’s evolving condition and its effect on race strategy. Herta remarked that the track resembled older versions of Laguna Seca, with enhanced grip and improved passing opportunities due to increased tire degradation compared to previous years, though not to historic extremes.
Lundgaard agreed with Herta’s observations, noting similarities to the track’s condition in 2022 after resurfacing and remarked on how the lower grip this year seems to challenge drivers more severely than past seasons. He explained that even minor mistakes such as dropping a wheel onto gravel could have disproportionate consequences, highlighting the increased penalty for errors in the current conditions.
He also pointed out that this reduced grip was a factor behind frequent spins and incidents during practice, underscoring the circuit’s demanding nature and the challenge drivers face in maximizing their lap times under these conditions.
Chevrolet’s Continued Success at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Chevrolet’s history at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is marked by significant accomplishments, cementing its status as a dominant force in the event’s legacy. The manufacturer has secured five race wins here since 1988, including victories by notable drivers such as Paul Tracy in 1993 and Michael Andretti in 1991.
Chevrolet has earned pole position eight times at Laguna Seca, with recent pole achievements including Felix Rosenqvist in 2023 and Will Power in 2022. The manufacturer has also amassed 21 podium finishes at this circuit, contributed by multiple drivers across various teams. Mario Andretti, Danny Sullivan, and Al Unser Jr. each stand out with three podiums apiece.
Team Penske remains the most successful squad with Chevrolet power at this track, accumulating 11 podium finishes. Other contributing teams include Newman Haas Racing, Galles Racing, Arrow McLaren, and Rahal Hogan Racing. Chevrolet-powered cars have led a total of 556 laps at Laguna Seca, with Danny Sullivan holding the most laps led (156), followed by Michael Andretti and Mario Andretti.
Other notable contributors of laps led include Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist, reinforcing Chevrolet’s strength across generations and teams throughout this track’s history.
Looking Ahead: Preparations for Key Sessions and Race-Day Prospects
Following the intense NTT INDYCAR SERIES WeatherTech Practice sessions at Laguna Seca, focus now shifts to qualifying and Sunday’s race. The drivers and teams must harness the data collected, adjust setups to attain better consistency, and prepare strategies to manage tire wear and limited passing opportunities on the technical circuit.
With Chevrolet-powered drivers like Pato O’Ward demonstrating speed and resilience, the manufacturers and teams will seek to extend their advantage, while others work to close the performance gap. Track conditions remain a critical variable, demanding precise driving and tactical execution.
The Java House Grand Prix of Monterey promises a compelling test of driver skill and car performance, with practice sessions serving as crucial groundwork for success.
