Sebring International Raceway concluded a productive two-day preseason test for the NTT IndyCar Series on Tuesday, with Marcus Armstrong of Meyer Shank Racing posting the fastest lap time. Armstrong’s 52.372-second run edged out defending champion Alex Palou, who set the pace on Monday, by 0.254 seconds.
The test served as a crucial shakedown for teams and drivers ahead of the season opener on March 1st at the St. Petersburg street circuit. Meyer Shank Racing is continuing its technical collaboration with Chip Ganassi Racing, the powerhouse team that has propelled Palou to four IndyCar titles.
Last year’s benchmark at the Sebring test was set by Will Power, then driving for Penske, with a time of 52.255 seconds. Power, now with Andretti Global, experienced a significant shift in his racing environment, not only changing teams but also switching engine manufacturers from Chevrolet to Honda. He demonstrated immediate adaptation, improving from 17th in Monday’s standings to 4th on Tuesday.
The top five finishers on Tuesday showcased a competitive field. Kyle Kirkwood, Power’s Andretti teammate, secured second place, followed by Ganassi veteran Scott Dixon and Penske driver Scott McLaughlin.
Testing was structured with teams rotating between two groups, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, to account for varying track conditions. The cooler morning hours consistently produced the fastest times, with temperatures reaching 25 degrees Celsius in the afternoon.
Schumacher Demonstrates Improvement
Rookie Mick Schumacher, embarking on his first IndyCar season with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL), showed encouraging progress during the test. He improved his lap times by over 0.8 seconds compared to Monday, finishing 22nd in the day’s standings. Despite not focusing on outright speed, Schumacher emphasized the importance of preparation for the season-opening race in St. Petersburg.
“Lap time doesn’t really count,” Schumacher stated. “It doesn’t really matter. The only time it really matters is when we go to St. Pete and do the first qualifying.”
Schumacher explained the varied approaches teams were taking during the test. “Some people will do only Sebring testing, so they will actually perform to what the Sebring standards are like. Some people prepare St. Pete and some people will do some other jobs, which we don’t know about. We know what we are doing. We want to do our job and prepare the right things in our opinion.”
McElrea Impresses for Ed Carpenter Racing
Ed Carpenter Racing utilized the test to evaluate their new simulator driver, Hunter McElrea. McElrea, who has one IndyCar race start to his name with Dale Coyne Racing, was given extensive track time, running in both the morning and afternoon sessions after sitting out Monday’s running. He delivered a strong performance, finishing eighth overall on Tuesday.
With less than three weeks remaining until the season opener, teams will participate in one final two-day winter test at Phoenix Raceway on February 17-18. Phoenix is returning to the IndyCar calendar for the first time since 2018, marking the second stop of the season on March 7th and representing the first of six oval races scheduled for 2026.
Sebring Test Results (Tuesday)
1. Marcus Armstrong (Shank-Honda) – 52.372 seconds
2. Kyle Kirkwood (Andretti-Honda) – 52.479
3. Scott Dixon (Ganassi-Honda) – 52.514
4. Will Power (Andretti-Honda) – 52.611
5. Scott McLaughlin (Penske-Chevrolet) – 52.636
6. Felix Rosenqvist (Shank-Honda) – 52.702
7. Santino Ferrucci (Foyt-Chevrolet) – 52.715
8. Hunter McElrea (Carpenter-Chevrolet) – 52.729
9. Marcus Ericsson (Andretti-Honda) – 52.823
10. Rinus VeeKay (Juncos-Chevrolet) – 52.845
11. Alex Palou (Ganassi-Honda) – 52.874
12. Caio Collet (Foyt-Chevrolet) – 52.891
13. Josef Newgarden (Penske-Chevrolet) – 53.018
14. Patricio O’Ward (McLaren-Chevrolet) – 53.036
15. Christian Lundgaard (McLaren-Chevrolet) – 53.085
16. David Malukas (Penske-Chevrolet) – 53.167
17. Louis Foster (Rahal-Honda) – 53.177
18. Romain Grosjean (Coyne-Honda) – 53.220
19. Dennis Hauger (Coyne-Honda) – 53.226
20. Kyffin Simpson (Ganassi-Honda) – 53.228
21. Nolan Siegel (McLaren-Chevrolet) – 53.286
22. Mick Schumacher (Rahal-Honda) – 53.430
23. Sting Ray Robb (Juncos-Chevrolet) – 53.509
24. Graham Rahal (Rahal-Honda) – 53.519
