In a car sporting a throwback livery to his father’s 1998 win at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Colton Herta set the pace in the opening 75 minute practice session ahead of Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey for the NTT IndyCar Series.
The #26 Andretti Autosport Honda’s best lap of 1:07.5382 averaged 119.292 mph, which is faster than Helio Castroneves’s overall track record of 1:07.722 set back in 2000.
Pato O’Ward was second fastest in the #5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet ahead of Alexander Rossi, Marcus Ericsson and Kyle Kirkwood in fifth place.
Romain Grosjean brought out the first red flag of the session as he hit the tire barrier outside of Turn 4. The #28 Andretti Autosport Honda had oversteer before reaching the Turn 4 apex, spinning around and hitting the tires with the right side of the car.
Grosjean got out of the car under his own power and walked to the safety vehicle before being seen and released by the IndyCar medical staff.
Juri Vips brought out the second red flag of the session as the #30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda suffered a mechanical failure as the car was approaching the Corkscrew. The team told the Estonian driver to shut the car off before approaching Turn 6 and to stop the car off line as soon as possible.
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After the series put out the green flag again, Scott McLaughlin spun into the Turn 2 gravel trap after losing control of the #3 Team Penske Chevrolet under braking for the hairpin. IndyCar’s safety team pulled the car out of the gravel and McLaughlin drove back to the pits.
Shortly after the green flag came out to resume practice again, Agustin Canapino spun at the Turn 6 apex and stopped facing the wrong way in the gravel trap on the way to the Corkscrew. The IndyCar safety team brought Canapino’s car out of the gravel trap and the Argentinian made his way back to pit road.
Will Power brought out the final red flag of the session when the #12 Team Penske Chevrolet hit the tire barrier at Turn 4 with the rear of the car. Power drove the car away from the tire barrier but stopped shortly after Turn 5 with a damaged rear wing and left rear suspension.
The practice session clock ran out under the red flag for Power’s stranded car.
IndyCar will have a Saturday morning practice session at 10:00 a.m. local time or 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning AEST.
Practice results:
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