NTT INDYCAR SERIES | RD. 8&9
PREVIEW: BOMMARITO AUTOMOTIVE GROUP 500S, GATEWAY (USA)
Days after wrapping up the Indy 500, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES rolls on with unabated intensity. Coming up this weekend is a double-header round at Gateway, a 1.25-mile oval in Madison, Illinois, and Felix Rosenqvist arrives with an eagerness to keep improving his oval trade.
Rosenqvist came home 12th in the Indy 500 on Sunday, overcoming a difficult first half to end the race in a much stronger position.
Moving on to Gateway, the Swede hopes to take that improved feeling into the paddock and continue to build on his recent experiences.
“We head to Gateway straight from the Indy 500, so there’s lots of racing on ovals at the moment,” says Felix Rosenqvist. “I think it’s perfect in terms of my development as a driver. I need more time on the ovals and that’s where I can really improve the most. It’s heading in the right direction, for sure, but it’s not the kind of thing you can rush. I’m looking forward to the weekend and my target, with everything I learned in the Indy 500, is to deliver my best oval result yet.”
Rosenqvist looked on course for an oval-race podium in the opening round of the season at Texas Motor Speedway, but crashed a few laps from home after chasing down leading Chip Ganassi Racing team-mate Scott Dixon at the front.
Instead, the Swede’s best oval result to date actually came at Gateway one year ago when he finished 11th – but with more potential in hand.
“I think Gateway is one of the most interesting ovals, and we were going well there last year,” Felix Rosenqvist remembers. “I qualified in the top ten, just a few hundredths behind Scott (Dixon), and then we ran fifth or sixth in the race until a series of unlucky cautions put us back. It would be really nice with a top five finish now.”
Expanded to a double-header event this year in the effects of COVID-19, the Gateway INDYCAR round will feature one race on Saturday and one on Sunday. Each runs over 200 laps, with the grid for both races decided in Saturday’s qualifying session.
Felix Rosenqvist’s #10 Chip Ganassi Racing car will carry an alternative livery in the Sunday race, sporting the Monster energy drinks design. The car will run in its traditional NTT DATA livery on Saturday.
Running at Gateway begins with practice on Friday.
Time table Gateway
Swedish time
Friday 28 August
Free Practice: 22.30-00.00
Saturday 29 August
Qualifying: 18.00-19.00
Race 1 (200 laps): 21.45
Sunday 30 August
Race 2 (200 laps): 21.45
Qualy+races LIVE @ V Sport Motor/Viaplay
Local time (US Eastern)
Friday 28 August
Free Practice: 4:30-6:00 pm
Saturday 29 August
Qualifying: 12:00-1:00 pm
Race 1 (200 laps): 3:45 pm
Sunday 30 August
Race 2 (200 laps): 3:45 pm
Championship Standings after 7/14 races
1: Scott Dixon (NZL), Ganassi, 335 p.
2: Josef Newgarden (USA), Penske, 251 p.
3: Pato O’Ward (MEX), McLaren SP, 218 p.
4: Graham Rahal (USA), Rahal, 214 p.
5: Simon Pagenaud (FRA), Penske, 212 p.
—
10: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Ganassi, 157 p.
Event info Gateway
TYPE: Oval
LENGTH: 1.25 miles / 2.0 km
2019 POLE: J. Newgarden
2019 WINNER: T. Sato
FRO 2019: 11th
TIMING: The IndyCar App and racecontrol.indycar.com
ENTRY LIST: view here