Week two of Indy 500 practice has come to a close, and it has been a different experience to week one. Practice ahead of qualifying saw different tactics, learning points, and outright speed. However, this week was blocked by crashes and rain as drivers looked to prepare for Sunday’s race. Here’s what went down during the second week of the Indianapolis 500.
A Quiet Track Ahead of Qualifying
With Saturday’s practice and full-field qualifying postponed due to the rain, Sunday’s practice session was a final chance to dial in the cars. The hour long session saw the grid split into two groups. Although the skies were clear, most teams opted not to run in this practice session. Deciding instead that a final chance to prepare wasn’t worth the risk of a potential crash. As seen last year by Scott McLaughlin, a pre-qualifying crash could be costly, especially when it all come down to a single day.
Out of the 33 drivers, only 14 headed out. Initially, Ed Carpenter sat at the top of the leaderboard with an average speed of 231.684mph. Takuma Sato was the first driver to bring out a contact-based yellow flag, brushing the wall. Despite that, he remained unscathed and went fastest. But ultimately, Christian Rasmussen topped the times ahead of qualifying with an average speed of 232.255 mph.
A Crash and Rain Impact Monday’s Practice
Monday saw an overcast track as the field heading out onto the speedway. In order to dial in their race car, most of the grid headed straight out to do some group running. This allowed them to practice overtaking and running in dirty air. However, as they started to settle in, the session was turned on its head.
After a week, the first crash of the 2026 Indianapolis 500 happened. Getting loose into Turn 2, Alexander Rossi spun into the wall. Pato O’Ward lifted to avoid the collision, however the low temperatures affected his brakes and the No. 5 Arrow McLaren driver also spun, heading straight into Rossi. Behind the colliding pair, Romain Grosjean also spun into Turn 2.
After extensive clean up, the track went green and Josef Newgarden headed to the top of the times. Although, green running was soon halted again as a storm warning came in. With lightening close to the track and rain coming, Race Control opted to cancel the rest of the session.
Rossi Cleared To Drive
Soon after the incident, O’Ward and Grosjean were both released from the medical centre unharmed. But no word was given on Rossi until later on Monday. ECR confirmed that he had been transferred to hospital and undergone treatment, and his condition would be monitored throughout the week.
Ultimately, Rossi experienced minor fractures in his left hand and right ankle. He also had minor surgery on his ankle. On Thursday, after an evaluation by the medical team, Rossi was cleared to race. He will use a carbon-fibre ankle brace to support the injury though.
Because of the extensive damage to the No. 20 and No. 5 cars, it was also confirmed that both Rossi and O’Ward will be using a back-up chassis for the rest of the event. Although Grosjean’s car sustained damage, Daly Coyne Racing was able to repair the No. 18.
Racing In Memory of Kyle Busch
Ahead of Carb Day, it was announced that NASCAR champion, Kyle Busch, passed away. With 234 career wins, Busch was widely considered as one of NASCAR’s best racers. The news was a shock to many as he’d won the ECOSAVE 200 in the Truck Series last Friday, 15th May. Inspiring many of the INDYCAR drivers, the series is racing in memory of the driver this weekend.
Finalising The Cars During Carb Day
After a cancelled session on Monday, it all came down to Carb Day’s final practice. Two hours for drivers and teams to finalise their race car and prepare ahead of the green flag on Sunday. But with threats of rain, drivers were quick to head out and get some running.
Speed wasn’t a main contender for the final session. Instead, it was time to finalise the package ahead of the race. This was the time to test how well the cars could follow and overtake. Due to that, almost immediately, group running began and on-track battles were commencing.
Early on, both Marcus Ericsson and Felix Rosenqvist experienced issues with the rear of their cars. Ericsson brought out a brief yellow flag as he slowed on track. However, after Andretti Global examined the No. 28, no issues were found. Rosenqvist’s car was brought into the garage to be inspected as he explained that “Something felt really off on the rear…It felt kinda sketchy.“ With half an hour left of the session, Rosenqvist was able to return to track after Meyer Shank Racing fixed the issue.
Pit box allocations are also secured, so another aspect of this session was practicing boxing. Testing coming into pit lane and exiting was an important element, and the position of the driver’s box impacted their exit. Therefore, practicing exiting was crucial, so as to know how to maximise time come Sunday.
And Practice Is Complete
With Newgarden maintaining the top spot for the majority of the session, Team Penske looked strong throughout Carb Day. The trio of drivers were in the top 10, and were strong as they fought with surrounding cars. Also showing their overtaking abilities was Kyle Kirkwood and Conor Daly. Being able to closely follow before overtaking stands them in good stead for the main event.
Practice for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 is now complete. All that stands between the field and victory is 250 laps on Sunday. From outright pace to group running, everything has been tested over the two-week lead up. Álex Palou may be starting from pole position, but there are plenty of drivers who look strong. And drivers are keeping their cards close to their chest.
So much is still unknown, and many believe that the IMS chooses its winner. It comes down to optimising strategy over the 500 miles. The Indy 500 can never be predicted, so tune in on Sunday to see the action unfold.