Sebring Tests Day 1 – Palou already fastest, Grosjean on track

Having won four titles in the last five years, including a hat trick in the last three, Álex Palou has lost none of his speed, and the Chip Ganassi Racing driver is continuing his momentum on the first "real" day of testing for the season.IndyCar, in Sebring. Indeed, 23 pilots gathered at the former Florida military base for two days of testing, each half of the group having half a day at its disposal on Monday, and another half on Tuesday.

Present in the morning session, Álex Palou set the fastest unofficial time (only times from Phoenix testing and race weekend sessions are considered official by IndyCar), while Marcus Armstrong (Meyer Shank Racing) posted the fastest time in the afternoon session. The New Zealander was placed at MSR by Ganassi, which has had a technical partnership with Mike Shank and Jim Meyer's team since 2025, suggesting that Ganassi remains at a consistently high level.

Second in the morning session and in the combined standings, Felix Rosenqvist confirmed his good form, also driving for Meyer Shank Racing, ahead of a surprising Rinus VeeKay, who will compete in the 2026 season for Juncos Hollinger Racing. The Dutchman, winner of the Indianapolis Grand Prix in 2021, revived his career last year after an excellent season with Dale Coyne Racing.

Grosjean and Schumacher on track

The Chicago-based team is once again the one on which all eyes are fixed three weeks before the start of the season, as it is the last to have not yet confirmed its entire 2026 lineup. While Dennis Hauger drove in the afternoon without too much surprise, the Indy NXT champion making his IndyCar debut this season in partnership with Andretti, it is Romain Grosjean who piloted the other car, number 18, in the morning. The result was the eleventh fastest time of the morning for the French driver, who would thus be one step closer to a full-time seat for the season. However, as he told us at the recent 24 Hours of Daytona, nothing has been signed between the two parties, and official confirmation of Hauger's teammate is still pending.

Mick Schumacher He, for his part, was able to face his new rivals for the first time, having set his sights on competing this season for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. The German driver posted the fastest time of the day on a Sebring track that was particularly difficult to learn and very bumpy.

IndyCar – Sebring Tests – Day 1
Morning times

1. áLex Palou (Chip Ganassi Racing Honda): 52.626
2. Felix Rosenqvist (Meyer Shank Racing Honda): 52.650
3. Rinus VeeKay (Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet): 52.756
4. Josef Newgarden (Team Penske Chevrolet): 52.846
5. Kyle Kirkwood (Andretti Global Honda): 52.918
6. Pato O'Ward (Arrow McLaren Chevrolet): 53.018
7. Marcus Ericsson (Andretti Global Honda): 53.165
8. Graham Rahal (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda): 53.325
9. David Malukas (Team Penske Chevrolet): 53.442
10. Caio Collet (AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet): 53.656
11. Romain Grosjean (Dale Coyne Racing Honda): 53.798
12. Mick Schumacher (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda): 54.269

IndyCar – Sebring Tests – Day 1
The afternoon times

1. Marcus Armstrong (Meyer Shank Racing Honda): 52.847
2. Scott McLaughlin (Team Penske Chevrolet): 53.039
3. Sting Ray Robb (Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet): 53.050
4. Kyffin Simpson (Chip Ganassi Racing Honda): 53.135
5. Louis Foster (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda): 53.167
6. Nolan Siegel (Arrow McLaren Chevrolet): 53.172
7. Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing Honda): 53.210
8. Santino Ferrucci (AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet): 53.337
9. Will Power (Andretti Global Honda): 53.337
10. Dennis Hauger (Dale Coyne Racing Honda): 53.413
11. Christian Lundgaard (Arrow McLaren Chevrolet): 53.769

ALSO READ > Dale Coyne Racing hires engineer Bill Pappas