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IndyCar
INDYCAR: Franchitti, Honda Top Sonoma Test
Reigning champion Dario Franchitti leads an odd day where Andretti Autosport and Team Penske stop running after lunch, leaving Ganassi and KV to test.
Dario Franchitti led a Ganassi 1-2-3 on Monday while their rivals at Team Penske and Andretti Autosport packed up early after two members of the Bowtie Brigade had engine issues. (Photo: Marshall Pruett)
Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s Dario Franchitti posted the quickest time on Monday, as five IZOD IndyCar Series teams participated in a one-day test at Infineon Raceway.
Franchitti posted the quickest lap among the 13 drivers at 1 minute, 17.1 seconds over the 12-turn, 2.303-mile road course. More than 300 fans turned out to watch the test session.
Franchitti was followed by Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Charlie Kimball (1:17.4) and Graham Rahal (1:17.5). KV Racing Technology teammates E.J Viso (1:17.80) and Tony Kanaan (1:17.84) rounded out the top five.
“I like this track very much,” said Formula One veteran Rubens Barrichello, who was sixth quickest (KV Racing Technology, 1:17.88). “It’s very difficult with the blind apexes. It’s good that I can test again, and every time I’m improving. A track like this is very good and it teaches me a lot.”
Other participants in the test included Team Penske’s Will Power (1:18.5), Ryan Briscoe (1:18.8) and Helio Castroneves (1:20.9) who only turned a handful of laps in the morning session, as well as Andretti Autosport’s James Hinchcliffe, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Marco Andretti. No times were available for Scott Dixon, Hinchcliffe or Hunter-Reay, while Andretti didn’t complete any laps.
“This place is really challenging with the elevation changes. Even the straight-aways have curves,” said Castroneves, who won in Sonoma in 2008. “The layout here will always be tough, and I think this year’s race will come down to strategy, particularly with the smaller fuel tanks. It’s not just about passing. I can guarantee you one thing – this year’s race will be exciting, not follow-the-leader.”
Andretti's car never got the chance to turn a lap after an unspecified leak was found in the morning, while Hinchcliffe suffered an engine malfunction that ended his test before noon.
With most teams using the engines they will race this weekend at Long Beach, Andretti Autosport and Team Penske chose to curtail their testing after the lunch break while Ganassi and KV continued.
Franchitti posted the quickest lap among the 13 drivers at 1 minute, 17.1 seconds over the 12-turn, 2.303-mile road course. More than 300 fans turned out to watch the test session.
Franchitti was followed by Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Charlie Kimball (1:17.4) and Graham Rahal (1:17.5). KV Racing Technology teammates E.J Viso (1:17.80) and Tony Kanaan (1:17.84) rounded out the top five.
“I like this track very much,” said Formula One veteran Rubens Barrichello, who was sixth quickest (KV Racing Technology, 1:17.88). “It’s very difficult with the blind apexes. It’s good that I can test again, and every time I’m improving. A track like this is very good and it teaches me a lot.”
Other participants in the test included Team Penske’s Will Power (1:18.5), Ryan Briscoe (1:18.8) and Helio Castroneves (1:20.9) who only turned a handful of laps in the morning session, as well as Andretti Autosport’s James Hinchcliffe, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Marco Andretti. No times were available for Scott Dixon, Hinchcliffe or Hunter-Reay, while Andretti didn’t complete any laps.
“This place is really challenging with the elevation changes. Even the straight-aways have curves,” said Castroneves, who won in Sonoma in 2008. “The layout here will always be tough, and I think this year’s race will come down to strategy, particularly with the smaller fuel tanks. It’s not just about passing. I can guarantee you one thing – this year’s race will be exciting, not follow-the-leader.”
Andretti's car never got the chance to turn a lap after an unspecified leak was found in the morning, while Hinchcliffe suffered an engine malfunction that ended his test before noon.
With most teams using the engines they will race this weekend at Long Beach, Andretti Autosport and Team Penske chose to curtail their testing after the lunch break while Ganassi and KV continued.
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