SATO SWEEPS INDY 500 PRACTICE

Takuma Sato has continued his dominance in Indianapolis 500 practice, topping Fast Friday to make it a clean sweep of the three days.

The #51 Honda driver set a 232.789mph lap during a four-lap qualifying simulation run in the last hour of the six-hour session, mastering the windy and warm conditions as the field given a horsepower boost.

Sato also ended up fifth on the qualifying sim speed chart at 229.680mph.

“We were lacking downforce on Lap 3 and dropped off on Lap 4,” Sato said.

“Lap 3 and Lap 4 are the key. We carried too little downforce.”

Former Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi was second fastest overall with a 231.883mph effort in the #27 Honda, ahead of Pato O’Ward in the #5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet.

Tony Kanaan topped the qualifying simulation, managing a 230.517mph lap as the oldest driver in the field (47).

The Chip Ganassi Racing driver pipped Sato’s Dale Coyne Racing teammate David Malukas, the 20-year-old finishing second on the qualifying sim chart.

Malukas’ efforts on Friday had punters peering into the record books, as the youngest driver in the 2022 field could become the first “500” rookie to take pole for the Indianapolis 500 since Teo Fabi in 1983.

“We divided the program so David had more downforce,” Sato said.

“It’s good to have at both ends, and we’ll just combine it tomorrow.”

Marcus Ericsson was fourth overall Friday at 231.782mph in the #8 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, ahead of 2008 winner and six-time IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon who rounded out the top five at 231.530mph in the #9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Jimmie Johnson recovered to sixth on the qualifying sim chart after contact with the wall at Turn 2.

“I’ve hit plenty of things during my career in racing,” Johnson said. “

“Luckily it wasn’t a full yard sale; it was just crossing the line a little bit.

“I was able to download with my teammates and get a better feel for positions with the tools inside the car.

“I was too cautious with my settings and had a lot of understeer in the car, and I just didn’t get on top of it quick enough.”

Kiwi Scott McLaughlin snuck into the top 10, ninth fastest in his Team Penske Chevrolet.

INDY 500 QUALIFYING BROUGHT FORWARD

The forecast of rain in Indianapolis has seen Qualifying for the Indy 500 brought forward to 11am ET (1am AEST).

There is now a 6 hour and 50-minute window for qualifying to take place, with the action scheduled to wrap up at 7:50am AEST.

The morning practice session also will be moved up.

Tomorrow’s running at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will determine starting spots 13 through to 33.

Peacock Premium will provide live coverage of both practice groups and the entire qualifying session, with the INDYCAR Radio Network also offering coverage. Public gates at IMS will open at their previously scheduled time of 8 a.m.

The revised schedule (ET time):

8 am – IMS Gates Open

8:30 – 9 am – Practice Group 1

9 – 9:30 am – Practice Group 2

11:00 am –Qualifying begins

All the Indy 500 action can be watched live and ad-free on Stan Sport.

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