– What a turnaround for Mick Schumacher (RLL-Honda; 4.): In the second IndyCar race of the season, the son of Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher starts from the second row. (Qualifying result)
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After it had already been hinted at in free practice that something was possible at Phoenix International Raceway, Schumacher, as the last in the overall standings, had to be the first to take to the track. This was even a slight advantage because the track was still slightly cooler than for the drivers after him. On the other hand, he had less rubber buildup available than his successors. (Explained: How IndyCar racing works on an oval)
Schumacher completed two rock-solid laps of 173,776 and 173,558 miles per hour – on an oval, the time is traditionally given in average speed. His qualifying speed was thus 173,667 mph (279,49 km/h). (IndyCar FAQ: 25 questions and answers about Mick Schumacher’s debut season)
“That somehow went by pretty quickly,” Schumacher jokes when asked how his first qualifying on an oval felt. In fact, the two laps on the 1-mile oval only took him 41,459 seconds.
“It’s great to have had this experience,” the 26-year-old continued. “I think we put in two good laps, so we should be in the mix and hopefully have a good starting position.”
Will Power crashes again
After that, it was a matter of waiting. IndyCar legend Scott Dixon (Ganassi-Honda; 15.) did not match Schumacher’s time, then Will Power (Andretti-Honda; 24.), the best qualifier in the history of the racing series, took to the start. But Power threw it away again; incredibly, the two-time champion recorded his third crash of the season in one and a half race weekends.
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“No idea what happened,” the 45-year-old said in disbelief. “It was just so much more oversteering than this morning. It’s very strange and tough. I felt comfortable in the car all day, but this is a really rough start to the year.” (Mick Schumacher: These are his 24 IndyCar opponents)
Only three drivers still caught Schumacher: teammate Graham Rahal (RLL-Honda; 3.) reached 173,562 mph. This confirmed a 180-degree turnaround for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing on short ovals, where the team had been on a losing streak until last year.
Rahal and Schumacher were by far the best Honda drivers; only Alex Palou (Ganassi-Honda; 10.) also made it into the top 10 with Honda power. “This is a huge step because we knew that short ovals are our Achilles’ heel,” Graham Rahal cheered.
Malukas upsets established teammates
Pole position was secured by David Malukas (Penske-Chevrolet; 1.) with an average of 175,383 mph (282.25 km/h). This caused a thunderclap within Team Penske, as it is only his second race for the “Captain’s” team. The established drivers, Josef Newgarde (2.), who explicitly praised Mick Schumacher after qualifying, and Scott McLaughlin (5.), were left empty-handed.
The drivers still have a final practice session on the schedule, in which only the outside lane may be used in the second half. This ensures that there is enough rubber for close duels in the race. Nevertheless, Phoenix is considered a track where “track position” is extremely important. Good conditions, then, for Mick Schumacher to also cause a stir in the race.
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Race start is on Saturday at 21:00 CET. (All info on the Phoenix race)
