Takuma Sato proved to A.J. Foyt that the 36-year-old Japanese driver was a smart hire, deliver the quickest time in Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg third practice for his new team Saturday morning.
The new Foyt driver lapped St. Pete’s 14-turn, 1.8-mile street course in 01:01.5293 at 105.316 mph, not as quick as the best time of the day before. Overnight rain washed all the rubber off the track, leaving it very slippery—drivers could be seen fishtailing around corners, fighting for traction.
Sato had been fifth fastest the day before with a lap of 01:01.7703. His Saturday time proved the Honda engine isn’t lacking much compared to the Chevrolet.
Penske’s Will Power was second at 01:01.7386 at 104.959 mph. He set his best time on the 14th of 16 laps, as did most drivers. It seemed drivers who had developed a set-up based on yesterday’s conditions had to change it mid-session because the short time with cars on track this morning didn’t lay down as much rubber as expected.
James Hinchcliffe of Andretti Autosport was third with a lap at 01:01.8971. KV Racing’s Tony Kanaan and Dragon Racing’s Sebastian Saavedra filled out the top five.
Marco Andretti and Ryan Hunter-Reay were sixth and seventh fastest, giving the team three drivers in the top ten. Kanaan’s team mate Simona di Silvestro, third Friday afternoon, was tenth-quickest Saturday morning.
Power, Hunter-Reay, and di Silvestro all looked disappointed after the session, and spent some intense time talking with their engineers and watching telemetry, looking for some way to improve their performances for qualifying.
Ganassi drivers Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon managed eighth and thirteenth in their Honda-engined cars. This once-dominant team with two multiple champions seems to be lacking something—unless they are “sand-bagging,” i.e. going slowly to fool the opposition about their actual potential. Possible, but unlikely. Qualifying should reveal the facts of the matter in any case.
Qualifying starts at 2:05 p.m. Saturday with with four ten-minute sessions, each one reducing the field until only the Firestone Fast Six are left to battle it out for the pole.
Tickets are available at the gate or through the IndyCar Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg website.
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