PREMA Racing takes a crucial step in its new NTT INDYCAR SERIES journey, with qualifying for the 109th edition of the Indianapolis 500.
Qualifying for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing is as much of a standalone event as the race itself. Teams have a week of practice to make sure their cars are set up correctly and ready to tackle the first oval course of the season, all in preparation to make it through to one of motorsport’s most legendary races.
With a unique format, drivers will begin their qualifying with a full field session on Saturday. Each driver is guaranteed an opportunity to set a speed but only starting positions 13–30 will be set on day one.
Once each driver has had an attempt, they can go for as many goes as they wish until the guns are fired to try and lock a place in the Fast 12 or the top 30. There are two lanes the drivers can queue in, a priority lane and a slow lane. The caveat is that drivers in the priority lane relinquish their existing time, while the slow lane drivers keep their current effort on the board. This adds a major strategic element to proceedings throughout the day.
The remaining drivers continue on Sunday, with three sessions: Fast 12 Qualifying, Last Chance Qualifying, featuring those who finished between 31st and 34th on Saturday, and the Fast Six – where Pole Position will be determined.
Last Chance Qualifiers is made up of the bottom four from Saturday’s session and they will each have one guaranteed run with additional attempts allowed until the clock runs out. The fastest three cars will make up the final row of the starting grid and the slowest car will not race in the Indy 500.
The top six cars from the Fast 12 will move into Fast Six Qualifying, each with one opportunity to complete four laps to set the fastest qualifying speed. The fastest car will claim the coveted Pole Position, while the remainder will fill out the first two rows based on speed.
PREMA Racing’s drivers Callum Ilott and Robert Shwartzman have both driven laps around the Racing Capital of the World, with Callum having taken part in three previous editions of the race and Robert looking to build on his maiden outing during the Indy Open Test in April.
Piers Phillips - CEO, PREMA Racing INDYCAR
“As we approach qualifying for the Indianapolis 500, this is a defining moment for PREMA Racing’s journey in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. It’s where precision, preparation and passion meet the demands of this event. Our entire team and drivers have worked tirelessly to get to this position, and qualifying here is unlike anything else in motorsport. We’re ready to give it everything we’ve got.”