Graham Rahal, in the No.15 Fleet Coast Care Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda, was fastest in the race-day warm-up at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, setting a 01:07.0485s ending up just ahead of defending series champion Alex Palou
Speaking following qualifying on Saturday, Rahal said:
Overall it was a solid qualifying. I really wish that we had a little bit more. I felt like we were very close but just needed a few tenths. A few tenths right now, unfortunately, is a lot of positions. It didn’t used to be but it is nowadays. I just wish we had little more today. I’m struggling in two spots (on track). All my loss – even to Christian — is braking into Turn 1 and the fountain. It’s very frustrating not to be able to maximize that but tomorrow will be a different day.”
Rahal will start today’s race from 12th place.
Josef Newgarden in the No.2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet was third, just ahead of Colton Herta and pole-sitter Felix Rosenqvist, who stalled his car in the closing stages of the session.
Romain Grosjean had a great session in the No.77 Juncos Hollinger Racing was sixth with a time of 01:07.4287s while Marcus Ericsson was seventh fastest just ahead of Rinus VeeKay while Agustin Canapino ninth just ahead of Christian Lundgaard in the No.45 Hy Vee Honda, who starts from seventh place, was P11 in race day warmup, and speaking following qualifying on Saturday, he said:
“I tried everything really to get through to Round 3. We need to be incredibly pleased with where we are compared to last year because it’s a big step up. Graham and I are knocking on the door. We were there and only missed progressing by a small margin. Last year we were one second and a half off and today we were a tenth (of a second) and a half off. It was a big improvement for the Hy-Vee Honda. When the pace slows down in the race, it always suits us better so I think we’ll have a good race car. We’ve won on a street circuit before so don’t see a reason why we shouldn’t be able to do it tomorrow.
Marcus Armstrong was 11th, just ahead of Jack Harvey was 12th in the No.18 INVST Dale Coyne Racing Honda just ahead of Santino Ferrucci while Scott Dixon in the No.9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda suffered radio issues during the session and was 14th.
Pato O’Ward was 15th, just ahead of Scott McLaughlin and Alexander Rossi, while Pietro Fittipaldi was 18th, just ahead of Christian Rasmussen and Kyle Kirkwood, who rounded out the top twenty. Chip Ganassi Racing’s Linus Lindqvist was 21st, just ahead of Will Power and Kyffin Simpson, while Tom Blomqvist was 24th, just ahead of Sting Ray Robb.
Theo Pourchaire was 26th, just ahead of Nolan Siegel, who rounded out the order in 27th place.