Dixon tops Sebring IndyCar test as Ganassi-Hondas dominate
Scott Dixon led his three Chip Ganassi Racing teammates in a 1-2-3-4 in the final IndyCar test of the off-season, giving the team a boost as it switches from Chevrolet to Honda.
Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images
Sebring times traditionally mean little, especially with most teams being cautious in revealing when they were running a qualifying lap simulation. However, Dixon’s lap time and the fact that his teammates were next fastest at least suggests Ganassi has made considerable progress in learning the Honda aerokit, as it returns to the HPD ranks for the first time since 2013.
2014 champ Will Power narrowly edged his reigning champion teammate Simon Pagenaud, with Helio Castroneves turning 86 laps, the most of anyone today.
By doleful contrast, Castroneves’ newest teammate Josef Newgarden was feeling unwell and could only complete 18 laps, so did well in that context.
Ed Jones lost over two hours of track time as the team searched for an electrical gremlin, and was not accompanied by his teammate, as Sebastien Bourdais completed a test day earlier this month.
Meanwhile Mikhail Aleshin, in an IndyCar on a road course for the first time since last year’s season finale at Sonoma, did an impressive job to draw within 0.03sec of teammate James Hinchcliffe.
Andretti Autosport-Honda will test tomorrow, along with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports' test of IMSA ace Pipo Derani and AutoGP champion Luis Michael Dorrbecker.
1. Scott Dixon Ganassi-Honda 51.13
2. Charlie Kimball Ganassi-Honda 51.42
3. Max Chilton Ganassi-Honda 51.56
4. Tony Kanaan Ganassi-Honda 51.75
5. Will Power Penske-Chevrolet 51.75
6. Simon Pagenaud Penske-Chevrolet 51.77
7. Helio Castroneves Penske-Chevrolet 51.79
8. Josef Newgarden Penske-Chevrolet 51.93
9. Carlos Munoz AJ Foyt-Chevrolet 51.97
10. Conor Daly AJ Foyt-Chevrolet 51.99
11. James Hinchcliffe Schmidt Peterson-Honda 52.01
12. Mikhail Aleshin Schmidt Peterson-Honda 52.04
13. Spencer Pigot Ed Carpenter-Chevrolet 52.07
14. Graham Rahal Rahal Letterman Lanigan-Honda 52.13
15. JR Hildebrand EdCarpenter-Chevrolet 52.28
16. Ed Jones Dale Coyne-Honda 52.36
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