Felix Rosenqvist produced a pair of top three qualifying runs for this weekend’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES double-header at Iowa Speedway but was left ruing a lost opportunity after slipping back in both races.
Already an intense weekend at the shortest track on the calendar, INDYCAR’s only double-header event became even more crammed after Friday’s scheduled practice session was cancelled due to a thunderstorm. It rendered a revised Saturday agenda with just 45 minutes of practice packed into the time table before qualifying and Race 1 later in the day.
Rosenqvist quickly adapted to the limited running, however, powering to a pair of top three grid slots in qualifying as he missed out on Race 2 pole by just 0.003 of a second around the 0.894-mile oval.
In the opening race a few hours later, though, Rosenqvist – who started third on the grid as the best-placed Honda car – tumbled down the order and could only muster 17th at the chequered flag.
“The first race was a bit of a tough one,” admits Felix Rosenqvist. “We didn’t really go forward at any point and we lost positions at every restart. Then we had one bad pit stop which cost us another six or seven spots. From there I just couldn’t really go forward.”
A new opportunity would swiftly present itself less than 24 hours later, as Rosenqvist lined up on the front row alongside championship leader Alex Palou for Sunday’s weekend-concluding Race 2.
The race would prove eerily similar to the day before, though, albeit with a better outcome to cap it off. Rosenqvist had been running inside the top five in the early stages until another poor pit stop dropped him down to 15th mid-race, although this time, a late recovery brought home a more decent result of seventh.
Meanwhile, Meyer Shank Racing team-mate Marcus Armstrong netted his first podium with the team in P3.
”It turned out to be a decent points day for us at least,” Rosenqvist sums up Race 2. “We had one really bad pit stop – we need to look at that. Both days here we have had a big blunder in the pits. Today, though, we were fast. I feel like I was driving way better, so that was exciting. Ultimately it was a good recovery at the end after all we went through.
“Big congrats to Marcus on his first podium with the team – all in all we are making progress, and hopefully we can keep this ball rolling.”
Currently in the middle of a high-paced July schedule, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES continues at full speed next weekend (July 18-20) on the streets of Toronto. Felix Rosenqvist sits sixth in the overall standings following the Iowa meeting.
RESULTS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | Rd. 11-12
INDYCAR Race Weekend
Iowa Speedway (USA)
Race 1
1: Pato O’Ward (MEX), Arrow McLaren, 275 laps
2: Josef Newgarden (USA), Penske, +0.235s
3: Will Power (AUS), Penske, +1.212s
4: Scott McLaughlin (NZL), Penske, +2.357s
5: Alex Palou (ESP), Ganassi, +3.002s
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17: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Meyer Shank Racing, +1 lap
Race 2
1: Alex Palou (ESP), Ganassi, 275 laps
2: Scott Dixon (NZL), Ganassi, +0.528s
3: Marcus Armstrong (NZL), Meyer Shank Racing, +2.743s
4: David Malukas (USA), AJ Foyt Racing, +4.000s
5: Pato O’Ward (MEX), Arrow McLaren, +4.825s
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7: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Meyer Shank Racing, +6.902s
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | After 12/17 races
1: Alex Palou (ESP), Ganassi, 515 p.
2: Pato O’Ward (MEX), Arrow McLaren, 386 p.
3: Scott Dixon (NLZ), Ganassi, 342 p.
4: Kyle Kirkwood (USA), Andretti, 335 p.
5: Christian Lundgaard (DEN), Arrow McLaren, 300 p.
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6: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Meyer Shank Racing, 298 p.