Alexander Rossi led the way for Honda during a weather-interrupted NTT INDYCAR SERIES “Spring Training” test this week at the Circuit of the Americas, posting the second-fastest overall lap time on Wednesday afternoon to head the 13-driver Honda field.
Cold temperatures and persistent showers severely limited track time for all competitors on Tuesday, opening day of the two-day event, with only a handful of drivers venturing out for brief “installation” laps. But conditions improved on Wednesday, with morning showers giving way to dry conditions and warming temperatures as the day progressed. As a result, the session was extended to 6 p.m. CST and nearly all of the 27 drivers in attendance made at least one “sticker tire” run in the closing hours.
At the end of a frenetic afternoon of experimentation and simulated qualifying runs, Andretti Autosport’s Rossi ended the test second-fastest overall, just over two-tenths of a second behind pace setter Will Power. Colton Herta, who led the way at last year’s Spring Training before scoring his first series win here, ended the test fifth overall in his Andretti Autosport Honda.
Five-time series champion Scott Dixon ended the test eighth fastest, with his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Felix Rosenqvist 11th. Between them, rookie Alex Palou made an impressive debut to finish the test ninth quickest in his Dale Coyne Racing with Team Goh Honda. Marco Andretti ran 12th overall, followed by Meyer Shank Racing’s Jack Harvey, 13th and another former series champion, Ryan
Hunter-Reay, in 14th.
