It’s been less than a week since IndyCar’s last race, and we’re getting ready to do it all over again at the Grand Prix of Indianapolis. This is the series’ last race before the Indy 500. Prepare for this weekend’s race with all the important details you need to know ahead of the green flag.
Round 5: The Grand Prix of Indianapolis Preview and Predictions
The Grand Prix of Indianapolis, also referred to as the Sonsio Grand Prix due to sponsorship reasons, is the last race on the calendar ahead of the Indy 500.
Drivers go racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) Road Course. This, of course, differentiates from the oval racing we’ll see later this month at IMS for the 500.
The race takes place on a Saturday instead of a Sunday, and both IndyCar and Indy NXT are racing this weekend.
The Track: IMS Road Course
The 2.439-mile (3.925 km) 14-turn circuit incorporates elements from the streets of Indianapolis and the oval at IMS to make up the road course.
Unlike the oval, which runs counter-clockwise, the road course runs clockwise.
The track surface itself is described as smooth but with grip, but some transitions between the oval and road can be slightly bumpy. The track has minimal elevation changes.
The Race Preview:
The Grand Prix of Indianapolis is 85 laps long. Turn 1, right after the front straight, is a heavy braking zone and makes it the prime overtaking spot.
Turns five to seven challenge the car’s balance and rhythm the most due to being faster sections of the track.
Overall, the several heavy braking zones help keep the race alive by providing plenty of overtaking opportunities and late-brakers.
Some possible race strategies for Saturday include short-pitting to avoid the heavy traffic flow going into the pit lane during the expected pit window. Some teams may try to get by on a two-stop strategy rather than a three-stop strategy.
As always, qualifying will be the most important part going into the race, with the pole sitter having a significant advantage, most drivers will want to hold on to their track position, especially during the pit window.
Drivers to Watch:
Alex Palou
All eyes will once again be on the defending champ during the Indy GP. Fresh off his win at Barber, Palou’s championship campaign has started very strongly this season.
With two back-to-back wins at the Indy GP, he’s headed into the weekend on the hunt for the three-peat.
As of right now, Palou has 196 championship points. He’s found success on almost all of the road courses this season, so it would come as a surprise to no one for him to find himself on the top step once again.
Christian Lundgaard
Second in the championship, Lundgaard has not shied away from taking risks and finding his way onto the podium at all this year.
After securing another podium finish last week, it’s become very clear that Lundgaard is looking to take home another IndyCar win, this time with Arrow McLaren.
Lundgaard had the strongest finishes out of all three McLaren drivers the past few races, and it’s only a matter of time before that is converted into a win. He’s a driver to keep an eye on as he’ll be looking to close the gap between him and Palou in the standings.
Marcus Armstrong
Last week, it was looking like Armstrong would be the one to take the win or at least grab a spot on the podium.
He led the race for multiple laps and was very strong defensively, but thanks to a few issues during his pit stop, he was unable to finish higher than he did.
Armstrong moved to Meyer Shank Racing for the 2025 season. Barber showcased some of Armstrong’s best driving of the year so far. If he’s able to pull off a good couple of stints in qualifying, Armstrong is a strong contender for a podium position.
READ MORE: Alex Palou Takes Home The Win At The IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama
How to Watch The Grand Prix of Indianapolis
(All times are according to Eastern Standard Time)
Practice 1 begins early on Friday, May 9, at 9:30 a.m. Practice 2 will be later this same day at 1:00 p.m. Qualifying takes place shortly after at 4:30 p.m. On Saturday, May 10, the drivers hit the track for Warm Up at 11:30 a.m. The race starts Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
Coverage of Practice 1 and 2 will be on FS2. Qualifying and Warm Up are available on FS1. The race itself will be streamed live on Fox.
Stay tuned to Last Word on Motorsports for all the news from the fifth round of the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series.
Main Photo: Penske Entertainment: Joe Skibinski
Recording Date: 5/12/2024
