There’s a back-to-school feeling in the air in St. Petersburg, Florida, this weekend, for the return of the [sports team] after a six-month offseason.IndyCar. For Romain GrosjeanThe break was even longer, as the French driver hadn’t lined up at the start of an official practice session during an IndyCar race weekend since September 2024! The last driver to be announced on the grid, for Dale Coyne Racing, the former driver of Formula 1 He made no secret of his satisfaction at being back behind the wheel.
Finishing 13th in Friday’s free practice session, Grosjean immediately proved that he and Dale Coyne Racing will be a force to be reckoned with, partnering with Norwegian rookie Dennis Hauger (17th in FP1). While minor radio issues made his session a little more challenging, the Frenchman felt that this first encounter with the St. Petersburg circuit went well.
“A lot happened this morning. We had a small radio issue, which didn’t help. IndyCar is a very competitive championship; it’s very difficult to be fast, and these tracks don’t allow for any mistakes, which is part of their appeal, but it’s also very stressful. It took me a little while to get back into the swing of things, but I’m happy to be here. I think the practice sessions in Phoenix went pretty well at the end of the second day. Overall, it worked out well.”
The driver with six IndyCar podium finishes also had the opportunity to test the softest tires brought by Firestone. This year, on street circuits, each driver will be required to use at least two sets of soft tires and one set of hard tires per race. Will this open up new strategic options?
“I think the first thing that surprised everyone a bit was that it took them a long time to warm up and get into the swing of things. So it feels like they’re probably a bit tougher than I remember. We’re also having an unusual winter in Florida. It’s pretty cold. Not if you’re from the north, but when you live here, it’s cold. That hasn’t helped. We’ll see how the race unfolds, but I think I’m in favor of using soft tires on street circuits. I think it will open up the strategy. I think it will make it a bit more challenging in terms of how you drive the car. It’s something we did a lot of in Europe, you know, tire management. Also with the engines. I hope I can use that to my advantage, you know, as an old man with a bit of experience!”
Tune in during qualifying, at 22:30 pm French time, to find out if Romain Grosjean can make his experience count this Saturday.
IndyCar – St. Petersburg
The ranking of Free Practice 1
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