The NTT IndyCar Series is shaking things up again with practice! Following racer feedback from preseason meetings, drivers recently experienced a new version of the 75-minute opening practice in Long Beach, Florida.

At Long Beach, the first 45 minutes were open for all entries. A five-minute break, then split the field. A 13-car cluster had the track to themselves for 10 minutes before pitting. The remaining 14 drivers then got their own 10-minute session to conclude the day. Notably, rookies were allowed to run at all times. The revised format leaves five minutes at the end of the 75-minute session as a buffer for potential stoppages.

Santino Ferrucci expressed optimism about the new format, saying, “I like the bigger opening session. The second part just needs to be adjusted from track to track, based on the length of the track.”

Hear more from Santino Ferrucci and the new practice format in the full article from RACER here.