Pato O’Ward was fastest during Friday practice for Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix.
The NTT IndyCar Series runs its seventh round of the 2023 season with this weekend’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear. The new, 1.7-mile, nine-turn street circuit runs through parts of downtown and along Jefferson Avenue and back around to Atwater Street along the Detroit River, with a new split pit lane also part of the revived street race.
Pato O’Ward was fastest in during Friday practice for Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. O’Ward led the first practice with his fastest lap on the streets of Detroit course at 1:03.0773. Scott Dixon in a Honda powered car was a mere 0.0986-second behind. (AutoInformed: Josef Newgarden Driving a Penske-Chevrolet Wins Accident Marred Indianapolis 500) Continue reading
Ganassi Racing Honda Wins Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix
Click on Palou’s Green Honda to enlarge.
Honda wrecked what was looking to be a Chevrolet Party at The NTT IndyCar Series’ seventh round. The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix (presented by Lear) presented a semi-race that was run almost one-third of the time under caution flags during its 100 laps. Alex Palou – starting on the pole for the second race in a row – in his No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda bumped and banged his way to victory. “It’s a crazy track, tight and short,” Palou said. AutoInformed couldn’t agree more. The start was waved off. Then on lap 2 – the restart – there was a pile up in the third turn… yawwwwwwn, and so it went.
From a racing fan’s point of view, AutoInformed remains worried about the lack of real racing in IndyCar. Street tracks present huge problems. Detroit, to our eyes, was too narrow, too short and way too bumpy. The longest straightaway needed to be resurfaced – like many Michigan roads the second half of it needs to be fixed – smoothed so passing can occur without bumps and carbon-fiber wing benders. This is an IndyCar problem. Restarts lead to more restarts, but on street circuits the best way to overtake and pass is on the restart where everyone is bunched up – more accidents, more flags, more restarts with little sustained racing. (AutoInformed: Josef Newgarden Driving a Penske-Chevrolet Wins Accident Marred Indianapolis 500) Continue reading →