By RaceScene Publisher on Saturday, 03 July 2021
Category: The Checkered Flag

Dixon Fastest in Mid-Ohio Final Practice

Chip Ganassi Racing‘s Scott Dixon went fastest in the brief 30-minute post-qualifying practice session ahead of the Honda Indy 200. Dixon, who qualified fifth for tomorrow’s race, showed that he’s got the pace to compete tomorrow with a lap time of 1:08.025 on the red-walled alternate tyre.

Colton Herta was the model of consistency, matching his second place qualifying effort with a second place finish in final practice. Across all three sessions today, Herta has not finished outside of the top three in any of them, showing good pace in the increasing temperatures.

Romain Grosjean recovered from a less than ideal qualifying to put together a strong lap and finish third, the highest up the scoring sheets he’s been all weekend. Grosjean was raced hard by fellow ex-Formula 1 driver Marcus Ericsson late in the session and had choice words for the Swede over the radio after he pushed him off track in turn five, but the team said they will show him in the race tomorrow. Ericsson finished the session in eighth place.

Another ex-F1 driver found themselves fourth fastest, Carlin‘s Max Chilton. Chilton shot to the top of the charts late in the session, and finished the day with a top result for the small, single-car operation.

James Hinchcliffe added to his top-ten qualifying effort with a fifth place finish in final practice, the last of the Andretti Autosport cars in the top ten. Alexander Rossi and Ryan Hunter-Reay finished the session in eighteenth and thirteenth respectively.

Championship leader Alex Palou finished the session sixth after just missing out on Q3 earlier in the afternoon while tomorrow’s polesitter Josef Newgarden finished in seventh. Newgarden’s Team Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin ended the day in ninth place, another practice top ten this weekend for the rookie from New Zealand.

Rounding out the top ten was Ed Jones of Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan, his best finish in a session this weekend.

Rinus Veekay and Felix Rosenqvist, who are both returning from injury this weekend, finished the session in nineteenth and twenty-second respectively. Ryan Norman, making his IndyCar debut with Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing, finished the session in twenty-first.

WIth no morning warm-up tomorrow, the next time the cars will be on track is for the Honda Indy 200 at 1200 EST / 1700 BST.

Honda Indy 200 Final Practice Results

RANKCAR NO.DRIVERNAT.TEAMTIME
19Scott DixonNZLChip Ganassi Racing01:08.025
226Colton HertaUSAAndretti Autosport01:08.074
351Romain Grosjean (R)FRADale Coyne Racing w/ Rick Ware Racing01:08.149
459Max ChiltonGBRCarlin01:08.164
529James HinchcliffeCANAndretti Steinbrenner Autosport01:08.242
610Alex PalouESPChip Ganassi Racing01:08.324
72Josef NewgardenUSATeam Penske01:08.328
88Marcus EricssonSWEChip Ganassi Racing01:08.431
93Scott McLaughlin (R)NZLTeam Penske01:08.443
1018Ed JonesUAEDale Coyne Racing w/ Vasser-Sullivan01:08.547
115Pato O’WardMEXArrow McLaren SP01:08.567
1260Jack HarveyGBRMeyer Shank Racing01:08.649
1328Ryan Hunter-ReayUSAAndretti Autosport01:08.806
1430Takuma SatoJPNRahal Letterman Lanigan Racing01:08.827
1514Sebastien BourdaisFRAA.J. Foyt Enterprises01:08.966
1622Simon PagenaudFRATeam Penske01:08.973
1715Graham RahalUSARahal Letterman Lanigan Racing01:09.019
1827Alexander RossiUSAAndretti Autosport01:09.145
1921Rinus VeeKayNEDEd Carpenter Racing01:09.153
2012Will PowerAUSTeam Penske01:09.216
2152Ryan Norman (R)USADale Coyne Racing w/ Rick Ware Racing01:09.291
227Felix RosenqvistSWEArrow McLaren SP01:09.326
2320Conor DalyUSAEd Carpenter Racing01:09.480
2445Santino FerrucciUSARahal Letterman Lanigan Racing01:09.917
254Dalton KellettCANA.J. Foyt Enterprises01:10.146
2648Jimmie Johnson (R)USAChip Ganassi Racing01:10.264
(R) – Rookie
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