A mis-timing and a lack of tire temperature prevented Will Power from advancing out of the first round of IndyCar qualifying at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca ahead of Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey.
Power’s fastest lap of 1 minute, 8.0178 seconds was eighth quickest in the first group of round one of qualifying around the 11-turn, 2.238-mile road course, and the Australian will start 15th as a result.
David Malukas was the final car to advance from group one with a lap of 1 minute, 7.8255 seconds.
“Probably waited in the pit too long, honestly,” Power said on the qualifying broadcast. “Trying to back up and didn’t get enough temperature (in the tires) and was just off cycle. It’s always very tough, you know you can’t screw around but yeah, we had the pace, just didn’t put it together.”
Power was 10th in Friday’s practice session and second in Saturday’s morning practice session. His car had pace, but the red sidewall alternate compound tires needed a bit more heat in them before Power started his last qualifying run.
The two-time IndyCar champion clinched his second IndyCar title at this track two years ago on the same weekend he also claimed the IndyCar pole record from Mario Andretti. While Power won’t be starting in the top half of the field, he has an advantage in that he has an additional new set of the red sidewall alternate compound tires that give more grip, but at the cost of tire lifespan.
But whether those tires will benefit Power on race day has yet to be seen.
“I don’t know yet if the reds are good or not, so hopefully,” Power said.
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