Marcus Ericsson fastest in testing at Thermal Club

This private club located in Thermal, welcomed theIndyCar for the first time in 2024, during a non-championship event designed for television, where the winner, Álex Palou, pocketed the sum of $500. The American championship will return in 000 but this time for the second round of the championship, on March 2025. Marcus Ericsson, Kyle Kirkwood and Colton Herta (Andretti), Callum Ilott and Robert Shwartzman (Prema) and Jacob Abel for Dale Coyne Racing filed the asphalt throughout the day on Tuesday.

It was the Swede, winner of the 500 Indianapolis 2022, who was the fastest, in 1'40″136, just eight hundredths ahead of his teammate Kyle Kirkwood. Third, Robert Shwartzman made a remarkable debut for Prema, which was putting its single-seaters on the track for the first time in IndyCar. The former AF Corse driver in WEC finished the day less than two tenths off the best time. His teammate Callum Ilott finished fourth, 0 behind, ahead of Colton Herta (247 behind). The Californian was however unable to drive as much as he would have liked, due to a mechanical problem. Jacob Abel finished sixth and last, 0 behind the best time. He did however lead the list of drivers who completed the most laps, with 269 laps completed.

“The last time we came here to Thermal, we felt like it wasn’t our best track or our best weekend.”, Ericsson told RACER. “So it’s good to come back here and work on some things. We’ve had a good program trying different things on all three cars, and I think we’ve learned a lot of things that should help us when we come back here in March.”

Rinus VeeKay, who lost his ride at Ed Carpenter Racing at the end of last season, was in attendance. The Dutchman remains one of the main options to take the wheel of the No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing car, the last seat not yet filled for the full season. The 2025 IndyCar season begins on March 2 in St. Petersburg, Florida.

ALSO READ > Why you should follow the 2025 IndyCar season