Felix Rosenqvist tops IndyCar Fast Friday

Felix Rosenqvist put Meyer Shank Racing at the top of the speed chart on Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, leading Fast Friday practice ahead of qualifying for the 110th Indianapolis 500. INDYCAR said Rosenqvist turned a best lap of 233.372 mph in the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda, becoming the first driver this week to clear 233 mph as teams switched to higher qualifying boost. (indycar.com) Friday’s session was scheduled for six hours but was cut to five after morning rain delayed the start by two hours, INDYCAR said. (indycar.com) The added power mattered immediately: INDYCAR said Honda and Chevrolet engines carried about 100 more horsepower than earlier practice sessions because qualifying boost was in use. Rosenqvist said the pace came after a slow start. “We started pretty slow, to be honest,” he said, adding that his team found roughly 3 mph over the course of the session and that “the balance was really good.” (indycar.com) ### How fast was Rosenqvist, and who was closest? Rosenqvist’s 233.372-mph lap led a tightly packed front group that included Alexander Rossi at 232.932 mph and Scott McLaughlin at 232.674 mph, according to INDYCAR’s Fast Friday report. Takuma Sato was fourth at 232.655 mph, and Marcus Ericsson rounded out the top five at 232.622 mph. (indycar.com) INDYCAR also said Rosenqvist produced the fastest four-lap simulated qualifying run of the day, a more direct indicator of one-lap balance carried across a full qualifying attempt. (indycar.com) That mattered because Indianapolis 500 qualifying is set by four-lap average speed, not a single flyer. ### Why did speeds jump so sharply on Friday? INDYCAR said the week’s top speed rose by more than 5 mph on Friday because of increased boost levels for qualifying weekend. The sanctioning body said the extra boost added about 100 horsepower for both engine manufacturers. (indycar.com) Fast Friday is the final full practice before the field starts setting the grid, and the speeds reflected that shift. INDYCAR’s event page lists Fast Friday on May 15, Qualifying Day 1 on Saturday, May 16, and Pole Day on Sunday, May 17. (indycar.com) ### What does Saturday qualifying decide? Saturday’s qualifying session will lock in positions 16 through 33 in the Indianapolis 500 field, INDYCAR said. The 15 fastest cars from Saturday advance to Sunday’s final qualifying rounds, which determine the pole winner and the first five rows of the starting grid. (indycar.com) INDYCAR said this year’s procedure includes an added Sunday round before the Firestone Fast Six, expanding the format for the 110th running. The series said the extra round will set the Top 12 order before the final shootout for pole. (indycar.com) ### Why is Scott Dixon first out on Saturday? Scott Dixon will make the first qualifying run on Saturday after his son, Kit, drew the No. 1 coin in the blind qualifying draw following Friday’s practice, INDYCAR said. Dixon, a six-time series champion and the 2008 Indianapolis 500 winner, is seeking his sixth Indy 500 pole, which would tie Rick Mears for the event record, according to INDYCAR. (indycar.com) The qualifying order matters at Indianapolis because track temperature, wind and rubber buildup can change over the course of the day. (indycar.com) Curt Cavin wrote on INDYCAR.com that there was “no clear favorite” entering the weekend, with multiple teams showing speed in practice. ### How had Rosenqvist looked earlier in the week? Felix Rosenqvist was 12th in Practice 2 on Wednesday with a best speed of 225.164 mph, according to INDYCAR’s results page. That placed him behind early pacesetter Conor Daly and just ahead of Will Power in a session where the field remained tightly grouped before qualifying boost was introduced. (indycar.com) Friday’s jump put Rosenqvist at the front at the most important point of practice week. Saturday’s pre-qualifying practice is scheduled for 8:30-9:30 a.m. (indycar.com) ET, with qualifying set for 11 a.m.-5:50 p.m. ET at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, INDYCAR said. (indycar.com 1) (indycar.com 2)