"Insights from Indy 500 Practice and Controversies"
Fast Friday is an IndyCar tradition where teams and drivers get an extra 90bhp of boost to simulate what they’ll get in qualifying. It is an opportunity to hone the set-up and get the car ready for qualifying on Saturday and Sunday. Qualifying is important as one entry won’t make the 33-car grid and it has been tough to get into the top five at the Indy 500 if you qualify poorly since the start of the aeroscreen era in 2020. Ganassi has been strong in practice, topping both days, with all four of its cars in the top 10 each time too. Chevrolet and Honda learn a lot about their engines from Fast Friday, not just in terms of performance, but how quickly they can cool and then pre-heat their engines to simulate making multiple runs which they may have to do in qualifying.