2026 Grand Prix of Long Beach

[FLRacingFan]

 

[FLRacingFan]

Quite the day for MSR as Rosenqvist follows up the team’s IMSA win with a pole for the Indy race.

 

[Charlie Spencer]

Somebody change lanes before the green?

 

[Turtle84]

Kirkwood and Palou looked strong in practice, see what happens today

 

[FLRacingFan]

Somebody change lanes before the green?

I don’t think they’ve ever had a normal start at Long Beach. Probably one of the tracks where it would make sense to have an alt start line like Mid-Ohio.

 

[FLRacingFan]

Newgarden lapping anywhere from half a second to a full second quicker than the leaders in clear air. 3 stops could be the way to go.

 

[Charlie Spencer]

Leaders on softs just biding their time.

 

[FLRacingFan]

Leaders on softs just biding their time.

Firestone made the street circuit softs more “robust” this season. No way should they comfortably be able to a full fuel stint in them. Jmo, but a 2-stop strategy should be nearly impossible without crawling.

 

[FLRacingFan]

Newgarden is going to comfortably cycle out into the lead, but will obviously have to do one more stop than everybody else.

 

[FLRacingFan]

Ban fuel saving.

 

[Turtle84]

Rosenqvist holding the gap on Palou and Kirkwood thus far on same strategy, Palou excellent on the olds' management

 

[FLRacingFan]

Damn, Felix had built a nice gap. This is a huuuuge moment for the MSR pit crew.

 

[FLRacingFan]

Go figure.

 

[Turtle84]

I gotta get to this race someday, only about an hour 15 away

 

[Charlie Spencer]

Cautions, the Kryptonite of the three-stop strategy.

 

[Turtle84]

Those pitstops really mixed things up, the Iceman in 3rd now

 

[Charlie Spencer]

Fat lady getting her helmet and spear, adjusting her costume.

 

[Turtle84]

Felix could cut the course thru the fountain flowers and it wouldn't be enough to catch Palou

 

[FLRacingFan]

That’s the Perfect 10s for you. The last thing MSR needed was that yellow to head into pit lane with Palou right on Felix’s gearbox. Just no margin for error when it comes down to that.

Third and final stint was racier, but we gotta keep finding ways to see more pushing in the early stages of the race. Super bummed about Newgarden’s flat spot because it seemed the pace was there on the alternate strategy.

 

[Greg]

I watched early parts of the race and eventually had to step away at about the 2/3rd mark and missed the finish.

I was hoping Rosenqvist would hold off Palou, I am not sure what happened but I should have known better.

 

[Charlie Spencer]

the 2/3rd mark and missed the finish.

That's when the only caution came out and Palou took over. Some decent racing in the pack but Alex's lead was never challenged.