IndyCar St Petersburg: Andretti leads first practice session of 2017
Andretti Autosport racer Marco Andretti put in the fastest time during a disrupted first practice session for the IndyCar season-opener in St Petersburg
The American recorded a best effort of 1m03.755s mid-way through the 45-minute session, edging Chip Ganassi Racing's Tony Kanaan to the fastest time by just 0.089 seconds.
Andretti's lap was set shortly after the session was restarted, after Penske driver Will Power - polesitter for last year's race - had hit the wall at Turn 10.
Two-time St Petersburg winner Power lost the rear of his car at the tight left-hander after just three laps and crashed into the barrier.
The 2014 champion was able to recover his damaged car to the pits and returned to the track after a swift repair by his Penske team, Power ending the session in 11th.
Kanaan's Ganassi team-mate Scott Dixon was third, ahead of Schmidt Peterson's James Hinchcliffe and 2016 title winner Simon Pagenaud.
Graham Rahal made a late improvement to move up to sixth place ahead of Helio Castroneves, who was six tenths off the fastest time in opening practice.
Charlie Kimball, Ryan Hunter-Reay and former F1 driver Max Chilton rounded out the top 10.
Last year's Indianaplis 500 winner Alexander Rossi ended the session in 12th place, with new Dale Coyne recruit Sebastien Bourdais next on the leaderboard.
Lap times at the newly resurfaced street track were down on those set last year, in part due to Turn 3 being reconfigured and made slower following incidents in support categories on Thursday.
PRACTICE ONE TIMES:
| Pos | Driver | Team | Car | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marco Andretti | Andretti Autosport | Dallara/Honda | 1m03.7559s | - | 16 |
| 2 | Tony Kanaan | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dallara/Honda | 1m03.8450s | 0.0891s | 20 |
| 3 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dallara/Honda | 1m03.8798s | 0.1239s | 16 |
| 4 | James Hinchcliffe | Schmidt Peterson Motorsports | Dallara/Honda | 1m04.1506s | 0.3947s | 13 |
| 5 | Simon Pagenaud | Team Penske | Dallara/Chevrolet | 1m04.2131s | 0.4572s | 15 |
| 6 | Graham Rahal | Rahal Letterman Lanigan | Dallara/Honda | 1m04.3190s | 0.5631s | 20 |
| 7 | Helio Castroneves | Team Penske | Dallara/Chevrolet | 1m04.3488s | 0.5929s | 16 |
| 8 | Charlie Kimball | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dallara/Honda | 1m04.4071s | 0.6512s | 20 |
| 9 | Ryan Hunter-Reay | Andretti Autosport | Dallara/Honda | 1m04.4118s | 0.6559s | 16 |
| 10 | Max Chilton | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dallara/Honda | 1m04.5379s | 0.7820s | 21 |
| 11 | Will Power | Team Penske | Dallara/Chevrolet | 1m04.5513s | 0.7954s | 18 |
| 12 | Alexander Rossi | Andretti Herta | Dallara/Honda | 1m04.6270s | 0.8711s | 17 |
| 13 | Sebastien Bourdais | Dale Coyne Racing | Dallara/Honda | 1m04.6900s | 0.9341s | 16 |
| 14 | Spencer Pigot | Ed Carpenter Racing | Dallara/Chevrolet | 1m04.8290s | 1.0731s | 16 |
| 15 | Josef Newgarden | Team Penske | Dallara/Chevrolet | 1m04.8500s | 1.0941s | 13 |
| 16 | Takuma Sato | Andretti Autosport | Dallara/Honda | 1m04.8536s | 1.0977s | 15 |
| 17 | Mikhail Aleshin | Schmidt Peterson Motorsports | Dallara/Honda | 1m04.9605s | 1.2046s | 17 |
| 18 | Ed Jones | Dale Coyne Racing | Dallara/Honda | 1m05.2213s | 1.4654s | 20 |
| 19 | Carlos Munoz | AJ Foyt Enterprises | Dallara/Chevrolet | 1m05.4289s | 1.6730s | 14 |
| 20 | J.R. Hildebrand | Ed Carpenter Racing | Dallara/Chevrolet | 1m05.5797s | 1.8238s | 15 |
| 21 | Conor Daly | AJ Foyt Enterprises | Dallara/Chevrolet | 1m05.5928s | 1.8369s | 8 |
Is Ganassi the solution to Honda's problems?
IndyCar extends Chevrolet and Honda supply deals
Why the 2022 IndyCar title fight is Penske vs Ganassi yet again
There have been wins, poles and promise from others, but the 2022 IndyCar Series championship battle has distilled down to a fight between old rivals Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing once more. A principal from each explains what has elevated their teams beyond other rivals ahead of the final three races
Nashville IndyCar winner Dixon feared race was ruined by shunt
Scott Dixon was convinced that car damage had ended his victory hopes at IndyCar's Nashville round, before working his way to the front to eventually claim his 53rd series win.
Palou sure he has "fair shot" at IndyCar title despite Ganassi conflict
Defending IndyCar champion Alex Palou is sure he will have a chance to retain his crown despite being only third highest Ganassi driver and on the brink of an acrimonious departure.
Newgarden unapologetic over Grosjean clash in Nashville IndyCar race
Josef Newgarden said “welcome to IndyCar” in response to his clash with Romain Grosjean that took the French driver out of the Nashville race.
How Ericsson achieved Indy immortality as Ganassi's main man stumbled
Chip Ganassi Racing team was strong again in the Indianapolis 500, with poleman Scott Dixon and reigning champion Alex Palou leading almost three quarters of the race between them. But when dominator Dixon was penalised for pitlane speeding, ex-Formula 1 driver Marcus Ericsson stepped up to score the biggest win of his career and seize the IndyCar points lead
Ranking the top 10 IndyCar drivers of 2021
In an enthralling 2021 IndyCar campaign, the series bounced back from its COVID-19 truncated year prior and Alex Palou defeated both the established order and his fellow young guns to clinch a maiden title. It capped a remarkable season with plenty of standout performers
How F1's other IndyCar exile finally unlocked his potential
Romain Grosjean's swashbuckling rookie year in IndyCar captured the imagination of many in 2021. But another ex-Formula 1 driver whose potential was masked by five years of toil in, at best, middling machinery also enjoyed a breakout year in 2021 - winning twice and finishing sixth in points. Here's how Marcus Ericsson finally delivered on his promise
How Ganassi's relentless new champion outfoxed IndyCar's best
IndyCar sophomore Alex Palou stunned by overcoming team-mate Scott Dixon and the rest of a white-hot field in 2021. He was consistently fast and crucially showed a level head, rebounding well from setbacks to put himself in a near unassailable position entering the final round
Have Harvey and RLL formed IndyCar’s next winning match-up?
Despite appearing to have an IndyCar job for life with Meyer Shank Racing, Jack Harvey’s departure and move to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing sparked plenty of debate. However, Harvey's and RLL's combined strengths could prove to be a winning combination - if they get the balance right
Remembering Dan Wheldon and his last and most amazing IndyCar win
Saturday 16 October marks the 10th anniversary of Dan Wheldon’s death. David Malsher-Lopez pays tribute, then asks Wheldon’s race engineer from 2011, Todd Malloy, to recall that magical second victory at the Indianapolis 500
Why Kyle Kirkwood is America's new IndyCar ace-in-waiting
Kyle Kirkwood, the record-setting junior formula driver, sealed the Indy Lights championship last weekend. But despite an absurdly strong junior career and scholarship money, his next move is far from clear
Why IndyCar title glory is just the start for Ganassi's new star
Newly-crowned IndyCar champion Alex Palou has been lauded as a complete driver and veteran-like in only his second season. The 24-year-old is still in the early days of his career, but the parallels are there for all to see with his six-time champion Chip Ganassi Racing team-mate who has been CGR's team leader since 2014