Iowa – EL: McLaughlin the fastest, then at fault

For this return to Iowa, the drivers and teams ofIndyCar have to face many new developments! The hybrid of course, which will play a less important role than in Mid-Ohio, but which should not be neglected. But also the track, which was resurfaced in the bends, leading to other changes, first of all of an aerodynamic nature. As the cornering speeds are higher with this new asphalt, IndyCar has reduced the available downforce in an attempt to reduce cornering speeds. The expected effect is to allow the suspensions and other mechanical components to have to fight against fewer forces in impressively banked corners.

Firestone then brought a new range of tires to the right side of the single-seaters, a softer range. The objective here is not to gain time in the clock, but to have tires which degrade more quickly, and which thus more easily release the heat stored in the long turns of the Iowa Speedway, which is the smallest circuit of the season, and therefore offers little respite to the tires with straights swallowed up in five seconds or less.

With only a 90-minute test session available, you had to be studious to succeed in working on all the new specifications for this weekend. Several red flags interrupted the session, however, the most serious for Marcus Ericsson, who hit the wall in the first minutes at the exit of Turn 4. The Swede from Andretti Autosport was trapped at the entrance to Turn 3, going from the old to the new asphalt, and he went into oversteer. The right side of the car was pretty badly hit, but we imagine the team will be able to rebuild the whole thing, and not force the former Indy 500 winner to use a mullet.

Another look at the incident involving @Ericsson_Marcus.

The No. 28 driver has been seen and released.

📺: #INDYCAR practice on Peacock pic.twitter.com/EyRxhRAvfC

- NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) July 12, 2024

Katherine Legge (Coyne), Agustin Canapino (Juncos Hollinger) and even Scott McLaughlin (Penske), author of the best time, each went there in their own little pirouette, without however touching anything. It would appear, in the case of Legge and McLaughlin, that the excursion was due to the condition of the track outside the correct trajectory. Very dirty and offering little grip, the second row seems to be like ice, and takes drivers directly towards the wall if you are unfortunate enough to put a wheel on it. Something to keep an eye on for the two races, the first of which will be held at night and the second during the day.

Iowa – Schedule

Saturday, July 13
Qualifications: 21:45 p.m.

Sunday, July 14
Race 1: 2h
Race 2: 18:15 p.m.

Iowa – Free Trials

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