Christian Lundgaard Sets the Pace in Second IndyCar Practice at St. Petersburg
Rain-Affected Practice Highlights Lundgaard’s Speed
Christian Lundgaard emerged fastest in Saturday’s second practice session for the 2026 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, setting the benchmark on a track still drying from overnight rain and showing promise for a competitive weekend on the streets of Florida.
In a 64-minute session that saw teams grapple with inconsistent grip and damp patches around the 1.8-mile temporary street course, the Arrow McLaren driver posted the quickest time of 1:01.6157 seconds to top the combined running and signal intent for strong qualifying pace later in the afternoon.
Tight Times, Tricky Conditions
The St. Petersburg practice was defined by cautious early action as drivers waited for the circuit to dry and avoid the risk of sliding into the concrete walls that line the narrow course. Only a handful of competitors ventured out in the opening 15 minutes of the combined session, underscoring the challenges of wet-weather handling on the street layout.
Despite the conditions, the session produced an exceptionally close leaderboard, with seven drivers separated by less than a tenth of a second from the top time.
Top Performers on a Slim Margin
Finishing just fractions behind Lundgaard was Marcus Armstrong in the No. 66 Meyer Shank Racing Honda, showing consistency after a strong first practice run. Reigning series champion Alex Palou — a winner at St. Petersburg in previous seasons — rounded out the top three, highlighting the depth of competition at the front.
Other notable laps came from Kyle Kirkwood and Alexander Rossi, both delivering strong numbers to complete the session’s fastest quintet. David Malukas also kept his Team Penske machine competitive near the top, ensuring several teams entered qualifying with momentum.
On-Track Incidents and Team Challenges
While the focus was on speed, several drivers found the limits of grip on the slippery surface. Will Power in his Andretti Global entry suffered a heavy impact early in the session after locking up and striking the barrier in Turn 10. Shortly after, Christian Rasmussen of Ed Carpenter Racing lost traction and hit the wall at Turn 2, stressing the importance of caution in mixed conditions.
Another moment came when Caio Collet’s AJ Foyt Racing entry experienced a suspension failure, leaving the Brazilian driver stranded in the runoff area and prompting a brief interruption.
What’s Next: Qualifying and Race Weekend
With practice complete, teams now turn their attention to the NTT P1 Award qualifying session set for later Saturday afternoon. The session’s results will set the starting grid for Sunday’s race, where every position will be contested fiercely on the tight St. Petersburg streets.
Lundgaard’s strong pace in mixed conditions adds intrigue to the qualifying battle, as drivers look to translate practice speed into a top spot on the grid ahead of Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix.
