INDYCAR: Pato O'Ward Tops Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix Practice - Full Session Results

Less than a week after Josef Newgarden's triumph in the Indianapolis 500, the stars of IndyCar were back on track in downtown Detroit. For the first time since 1991, the Grand Prix is not being held on the Belle Isle circuit, as the city brings the street race back into the heart of the Motor City. The new 1.7-mile, nine-turn layout utilizes some of the original 2.5-mile track that Formula One used in the 1980s.

Pato O'Ward was the quickest in the opening 90-minute practice, which was filled with stoppages as drivers tried to get a feel for the track. In all, there were 19 local yellow flags and six red flags that were displayed throughout the session. Scott Dixon finished just behind O'Ward, with Alexander Rossi, Kyle Kirkwood, and Alex Palou completing the top-five. Felix Rosenqvist was next, as all three Arrow McLaren cars finished inside the top-six.

The new circuit is unique for a variety of reasons, but the biggest thing fans will notice is the split pit lane. This is something new for drivers and teams, and will surely play a role in how qualifying and the race play out this weekend. The blend at the exit of pit lane will be something to monitor during the race, but many teams have wondered if they might be able to do this race on just one pit stop, with the expectation of there being multiple caution periods.

Another item that drivers pointed out after today's practice session was the lack of grip. The concrete surface is extremely bumpy, but also quite slippery. The track has a mixture of characteristics from other venues, like Long Beach, Toronto, and Nashville. The extremely narrow track features one very long straightaway, which will be ideal for passing situations as the 100-lap race plays out.

With 27 cars on a relatively short circuit, finding a gap will be crucial for drivers in qualifying tomorrow. There will be one more practice session before then, as they try to give their engineers feedback to prepare. A majority of the drivers had lock-ups and brushes with the wall today, but there were no major crashes. Helio Castroneves did have a blown engine during the session, but he will be ready for practice tomorrow morning.