It has been a theatrical day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on day 1 of qualifying for the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
Arrow McLaren’s Felix Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi made it a team 1-2 and through to the Firestone Fast 12 with Rosenqvist fastest with a speed of 233.947MPH while Rossi set a 233.528MPH just ahead of Alex Palou in the No.10 The American Legion Honda who set a 233.498MPH just ahead of Rinus VeeKay who set a 233.395MPH.
Scott Dixon made it into the Fast 12 having had to make an engine change overnight and will go for his third Indy 500 pole in row as he attempts to go from the fast 12 to the Firestone Fast Six. The Iceman set the fifth fastest four-lap average of 233.375MPH just ahead of his old teammate and great friend Tony Kanaan who was sixth with a speed of 233.347MPH.
Takuma Sato was seventh for Chip Ganassi Racing just ahead of Pato O’Ward and Santino Ferrucci who along with his teammate Benjamin Pedersen made it a day to remember for AJ Foyt Racing as they got both cars in the Fast 12.
Defending Indy 500 champion Marcus Ericsson was 10th with Team Penske’s Will Power rounding out the Fast 12.
Three-time Indianapolis 500 pole sitter Ed Carpenter starts the race from 13th place just ahead of Scott McLaughlin, who set a 232.677MPH and starts the race just ahead of Kyle Kirkwood who was the fastest Andretti car starting the race from P15 with a four-lap average of 232.662MPH just ahead of Conor Daly and Josef Newgarden who starts the race from 17th place having pulled out from his guaranteed run this morning.
On his return to the Indianapolis 500 after a year away, Ryan Hunter Reay will start the race from 18th place for Dreyer and Reinbold Racing just ahead of the man who replaced him at Andretti Autosport, Romain Grosjean.
Helio Castroneves starts the race from 20th for Meyer Shank Racing just ahead of Colton Herta and Simon Pagenaud. David Malukas starts the race from 23rd place just ahead of Stefan Wilson who did a great job for Dreyer and Reinbold Racing with Cusick Motorsports having set a speed of 231.648MPH.
Devlin DeFrancesco starts the race from 26th just ahead of Agustin Canapino who made the field for his first Indy 500. Callum Ilott starts from P28 just ahead of RC Enerson after a wonderful day for Abel Motorsports who start their maiden Indianapolis 500 from the 29th place on the grid.. Katherine Legge will make her Indianapolis 500 return from 30th place.
Legge’s full-time Rahal teammate’s Graham Rahal, Christian Lundgaard and Jack Harvey join Sting Ray Robb for the last row shootout on Sunday.