NTT INDYCAR SERIES | Rd. 5
108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 (USA)
Felix Rosenqvist is looking to build on a clean-sweep of top ten finishes so far in the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES as attention turns this week to the blue-riband Indianapolis 500.
Moving into “the Greatest Spectacle in Racing”, Rosenqvist enters the undisputed season highlight holding fifth in the INDYCAR standings after a slate of promising performances – including a pole position at Long Beach – in the opening part of 2024.
Putting in an eye-catching recovery drive from last to tenth in Saturday’s Sonsio Grand Prix as he battled back from Turn 1 contact, Rosenqvist and his Meyer Shank Racing team have opened the Month of May on a positive note and are eager to keep the momentum going.
Widely regarded as the world’s greatest race, the Indy 500 ranks among the largest sporting events on the globe, attracting crowds of more than 300 000 visitors on race day.
The 500-mile oval classic is played out across 200 laps around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with 33 drivers set to go all-out for victory in the 108th running of the event on Sunday, May 26.
“Time to turn left! I can’t wait to hit the track and begin practice for the Indy 500,” says Felix Rosenqvist. “It’s the first oval event of the season, so a lot of unknowns, and we’ll have to take it step by step and get a feel for our package. It’s hard to know what to expect this year, so I’m keeping an open mind, but we’ve been strong at all of the races so far and maintaining that sort of consistency on the oval would be ideal for us.
“We’ll take it as it comes and just try to enjoy these two weeks and everything that comes with them.”
Rosenqvist qualified on the front row of the grid for last year’s Indy 500 and has a personal best finish of fourth in 2022. Meyer Shank Racing’s sole INDYCAR victory to date came in the 2021 edition of the event when Helio Castroneves – who joins Rosenqvist and regular team-mate Tom Blomqvist in the MSR line-up for this year’s race – took a record-equalling fourth “500” win.
Practice for the Indy 500 begins on Tuesday and continues throughout the week, leading into Fast Friday (which features a turbo boost increase) and qualifying weekend on May 18-19. The race itself takes place on Sunday, May 26.
TIME TABLE
All times local (U.S. Eastern)
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | Rd. 5
108th Running of the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis Motor Speedway (USA)
Tuesday May 14
Practice 1: 09:00-11:00 am
Practice 2: 1:00-6:00 pm
Wednesday May 15
Practice 3: 12:00-6:00 pm
Thursday May 16
Practice 4: 12:00-6:00 pm
Friday May 17 (Fast Friday)
Practice 5: 12:00-6:00 pm
Saturday May 18
Practice 6: 8:30-9:30 am
Qualifying: 11:00 am-5:50 pm
Sunday May 19
Practice 7: 12:00-2:00 pm
Qualifying (Top 12): 3:05-4:05 pm
Qualifying (Last Chance): 4:15-5:15 pm
Qualifying (Fast 6): 5:25-5:55 pm
Monday May 20
Practice 8: 1:00-3:00 pm
Friday May 24 (Carb Day)
Practice 9: 11:00 am-1:00 pm
Sunday May 26
108th Indianapolis 500: 12:45 pm
TIMING: INDYCAR App / racecontrol.indycar.com
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