Indianapolis Motor Speedway officially is open for business for IndyCar in May, and here are the start times and schedules for the GMR Grand Prix on the fabled track’s road course.
Saturday’s race continues the relatively new tradition of using IMS’ infield layout as a warmup to the Indianapolis 500. Simon Pagenaud won the inaugural event in 2014 and is among seven Indy road course winners in Sunday’s 27-driver field.
Since the pandemic in 2020, the IMS road course has played host to at least two races annually. This is the 14th IndyCar race on the 2.439-mile track, and Will Power leads the series with five victories here.
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Last year, Colton Herta made an early pit stop, a massive save and then an impressive charge to win a GMR Grand Prix that was delayed by lightning and then plagued by a late downpour.
After three days of action on the road course, IMS will be transformed into its fabled oval layout over the next two days. Practice will begin Tuesday, May 16 on the 2.5-mile track for the 107th Indy 500 (May 28 on NBC and Peacock.
Defending Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson will enter the GMR Grand Prix with the points lead after opening the season with a victory at St. Petersburg, Florida. The Chip Ganassi Racing star has extra motivation for Saturday as he is competing with a helmet designed by patients at Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis.
After the GMR Grand Prix, Ericsson will be auctioning the helmet and donating the proceeds to Riley Children’s Hospital. He got the idea from an NHL goaltender and contacted the hospital.
“They thought it was a great idea,” Ericsson said. “I got some different paintings and sent that to my designer. He picked out paintings that we put on the helmet. The reason we picked this (race) is because of Indianapolis and the community here but also because it’s Mental Health Awareness Month, which I think is a very important subject, especially for kids these days.”
Here are the details and IndyCar start times for the GMR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course race weekend (all times are ET):
GMR GRAND PRIX AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY START TIMES
TV: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. on NBC and streaming on Peacock, the NBC Sports App and NBCSports.com. Leigh Diffey is the announcer with analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Marty Snider and Kevin Lee are the pit reporters. Click here for the full NBC Sports schedule for IndyCar in 2023
Peacock also will be the streaming broadcast for both practices and qualifying.
POSTRACE SHOW ON PEACOCK: After the race’s conclusion, an exclusive postrace show will air on Peacock with driver interviews, postrace analysis and the podium presentation. To watch the extended postrace show, click over to the special stream on Peacock after the race.
COMMAND TO START ENGINES: 3:39 p.m.
GREEN FLAG: 3:45 p.m.
PRACTICE: Friday, 9:30 a.m. (Peacock Premium), 1 p.m. (Peacock Premium); Saturday, 11:15 a.m. (Peacock Premium)
PRACTICE RESULTS: Session I l Session II l Warmup l Combined
QUALIFYING: Friday, 4 p.m. (Peacock Premium)
STARTING LINEUP: Click here to see where everyone qualified
RACE DISTANCE: The race is 85 laps (207.3 miles) on a 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
TIRE ALLOTMENT: Six sets primary, four sets alternate. Rookie drivers are allowed one extra primary set for the first practice.
PUSH TO PASS: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation (Indy NXT: 150 seconds total, 15 seconds per). The push-to-pass is not available on the initial start or any restart unless it occurs in the final two laps or three minutes of a timed race. The feature increases the power of the engine by approximately 60 horsepower.
FORECAST: According to Wunderground.com, it’s expected to be 79 degrees with a 24% chance of rain at the green flag.
ENTRY LIST: Click here to view the 27 drivers racing Saturday at Indianapolis
INDY NXT RACE: Saturday, 1:10 p.m., 35 laps/55 minutes (Peacock Premium)
INDY NXT ENTRY LIST: Click here to view the 19 drivers racing Saturday at Indianapolis
GMR GRAND PRIX AT INDIANAPOLIS WEEKEND START TIMES
(All times are Eastern)
Thursday, May 11
9 a.m.: IndyCar garage opens
10 a.m.: IndyCar tech begins
Noon-1 p.m.: USF2000, Test 1
1:10-2:10 p.m.: USF Pro 2000, Test I
2:20-3:20 p.m.: USF2000 Test 2
3:30-4:30 p.m.: USF Pro 2000 Test 2
5:10-5:40 p.m.: USF2000 practice
5:50-6:20 p.m.: USF Pro 2000 practice
6:30-7:30 p.m.: IndyCar, Indy NXT track walk
Friday, May 12
6:30 a.m.: IndyCar garage opens
7:30 a.m.: IndyCar tech begins
8-8:30 a.m.: USF2000 qualifying
8:45-9:15 a.m.: USF Pro 2000 qualifying
9:30-10:45 a.m.: IndyCar practice, Peacock
11-11:50 a.m.: Indy NXT practice
12:05-12:45 p.m.: USF2000 Race 1
1-2 p.m.: IndyCar practice, Peacock
2:20-2:40 p.m.: Indy NXT qualifying
2:55-3:45 p.m.: USF Pro 2000 Race 1
4-5:15 p.m.: IndyCar qualifying, Peacock
Saturday, May 13
8 a.m.: IndyCar garage opens
8-8:40 a.m.: USF2000 Race 2
8:55-9:45 a.m.: USF Pro 2000 Race 2
11:15-11:45 a.m.: IndyCar warmup, Peacock
Noon-12:40 p.m.: USF2000 Race 3
1:10 p.m.: Indy NXT race (35 laps/55 minutes), Peacock
2:55 p.m.: IndyCar driver introductions
3:39 p.m.: Command to start engines
3:45 p.m.: GMR Grand Prix (85 laps/207.3 miles), NBC and Peacock
2023 SEASON RECAPS
ROUND 1: Marcus Ericsson wins wild opener in St. Petersburg
ROUND 2: Josef Newgarden wins Texas thriller over Pato O’Ward
ROUND 3: Kyle Kirkwood breaks through for first career IndyCar victory
ROUND 4: Scott McLaughlin outduels Romain Grosjean at Barber
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