O’Ward leads Jones, Grosjean in eight-car Laguna Seca test
Arrow McLaren SP’s Patricio O’Ward led a small group of IndyCar testers at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Monday, while Dale Coyne Racing's Ed Jones and debutant Romain Grosjean also showed strong pace.
O’Ward, who finished fourth in the 2020 NTT IndyCar Series points standings, lapped the classic 2.238-mile course in Monterey, CA., in 1min11.293sec.
That meant he was two-tenths of a second clear of IndyCar returnee Ed Jones, who was just four-hundredths ahead of his Dale Coyne Racing teammate, ex-Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean.
Felix Rosenqvist made it two Arrow McLaren SP cars in the top four, while Meyer Shank Racing’s fulltimer Jack Harvey finished the day fifth, 0.4sec from top spot.
Rinus VeeKay was the sole Ed Carpenter Racing-Chevrolet driver in action today, and wound up half a second off the ultimate pace.
Two Indy car superstars and former Team Penske teammates in both IndyCar and IMSA Prototypes, were also in action today. Juan Pablo Montoya, who has been confirmed in a third Arrow McLaren SP-Chevy for the Indianapolis 500 but will also likely run the Indy Grand Prix on the road course, finished the day 0.926 from top spot. The former CART Indy car champion and two-time Indy 500 winner has not raced a road course in an open-wheel car since May 2017.
Meanwhile Helio Castroneves, who’ll race for Meyer Shank Racing in six events this year, ended the day 1.5sec from top spot. The three-time Indy 500 winner’s last IndyCar experience on a road course is more recent than Montoya’s, having subbed for Oliver Askew at AMSP last October.
| RANK | # | DRIVER | TEAM | ENGINE | FASTEST | DIFF. | TOTAL |
| 1 | 5 | Pato O’Ward | Arrow McLaren SP | Chevrolet | 71.293 |
| 83 |
| 2 | 18 | Ed Jones | Dale Coyne Racing With Vasser-Sullivan | Honda | 71.529 | -0.236 | 104 |
| 3 | 51 | Romain Grosjean | Dale Coyne Racing w/Rick Ware Racing | Honda | 71.571 | -0.278 | 109 |
| 4 | 7 | Felix Rosenqvist | Arrow McLaren SP | Chevrolet | 71.600 | -0.307 | 92 |
| 5 | 60 | Jack Harvey | Meyer-Shank Racing | Honda | 71.688 | -0.395 | 81 |
| 6 | 21 | Rinus VeeKay | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | 71.797 | -0.504 | 104 |
| 7 | 86 | Juan Montoya | Arrow McLaren SP | Chevrolet | 72.219 | -0.926 | 75 |
| 8 | 06 | Helio Castroneves | Meyer-Shank Racing | Honda | 72.812 | -1.519 | 91 |
Previous article
Marco Andretti considering IMSA LMP3 outings with cousin
Next article
Grosjean “more confident” after second IndyCar test
About this article
| Series | IndyCar |
| Author | David Malsher-Lopez |
2021 IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama best photos
Charles Bradley on the accident at Barber
Barber IndyCar: Palou wins at Birmingham
Motorsport.tv Live: IndyCar Alabama GP
How good is Palou and is he Dixon’s strongest title rival?
Last Sunday, Alex Palou delivered his first IndyCar victory on his Chip Ganassi Racing debut. Is the young Spaniard going to become his legendary teammate Scott Dixon’s biggest title threat? David Malsher-Lopez reports.
Preview: Why IndyCar in 2021 is too close to call
The fight for supremacy in the NTT IndyCar Series will be as intense as ever. David Malsher-Lopez is your guide to the main contenders and six intriguing sub-plots.
Is Arrow McLaren SP ready for IndyCar’s title fight?
With Patricio O'Ward and Felix Rosenqvist leading its line-up, 2021 could be the year Arrow McLaren SP-Chevrolet joins the IndyCar elite, writes David Malsher-Lopez.
Dale Coyne picks the Top 10 drivers in his giant-slaying team
Over 37 seasons, Dale Coyne has run no fewer than 80 Indy car drivers – including himself! Ahead of his first season running Romain Grosjean, we asked Coyne to pick the best 10 drivers ever to compete for him. By David Malsher-Lopez.
Why enigmatic Marco Andretti will be missed
Last Friday, Marco Andretti announced he is withdrawing from fulltime IndyCar racing. David Malsher-Lopez explains how this third-gen racer was a puzzle in the car, but a straight shooter off-track.
Why Roger Penske is an American motorsport icon
In this exclusive one-on-one interview, Roger Penske reveals the inner drive that has made him not only a hugely successful team owner and businessman but also the owner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar. He spoke to David Malsher-Lopez.
Is the mighty McLaren M16 the greatest ever Indy car?
When founder Bruce McLaren died in June 1970, his team could have folded. Instead, his loyal band rallied to produce a string of winners - including an Indy car game-changer that won three Indy 500s in six years.
How Newgarden delivered his best season, yet still lost
Josef Newgarden was our pick as top IndyCar driver of 2020 but his finest season-long run of performances failed to yield the championship. David Malsher-Lopez explains why.
