TORONTO (Friday, July 18, 2025) – Once again, an Andretti Global driver was atop the speed chart in preparation for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto.
But while last year it was Colton Herta leading the way in every session, including the race, this time it was Kyle Kirkwood in Friday’s opening practice.
Kirkwood posted the fastest time of the practice, a lap of 1 minute, 1.2054 seconds in the No. 27 Silver Gold Bull Honda. Herta, who won last year’s race from the pole, was 10th overall in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda at 1:02.0219.
Herta, who twice saw his car inadvertently venture into the Turn 8 run-off zone, said the 11-turn, 1.786-mile street circuit felt different to him year over year.
“It’s very low grip (now),” he said. “It is very difficult, and I’m sure guys had moments all over the place. It’s a different year, and it definitely feels like it out there.”
This track at Exhibition Place also has a history of changing as an event weekend continues, so expect the lap times to improve with each day.
It should not be a surprise that Kirkwood had the best lap of the session. He won the previous two street races this season (the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear). He finished second to Herta in this race a year ago, but, too, also said the track was challenging on this day.
“It’s certainly a tough one because that’s probably the lowest amount of grip I’ve driven in INDYCAR in a very long time,” he said. “That’s just due to the fact that we don’t have a bunch of support series here.”
Team Penske’s Will Power, who had the fifth-quickest lap overall in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, agreed that “it’s a very difficult track.”
“There’s a massive new bump at the end of the straight into (Turn) 3,” he said. “It actually hurts (and it’s) right in the braking zone – boom!”
Turn 8 also proved tricky. In one instance, the cars of Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Gallagher Insurance Team Penske Chevrolet), Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet) and Santino Ferrucci (No. 14 Sexton Properties/AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet) ended up there at the same time, fortunately without contact.
Honda has won 11 of the season’s first 12 races, and it dominated last year’s race here as well with the top seven finishers. But while Kirkwood led this practice, McLaughlin was second overall at 1:01.3411.
Series leader Alex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) had the third-quickest lap at 1:01.5987. He has a 129-point lead over O’Ward in pursuit of his third consecutive season championship and fourth in five years.
Up next is pre-qualifying practice at 10:30 a.m. ET Saturday, followed by NTT P1 Award qualifying at 2:30 p.m. (both sessions FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). The 90-lap race will be at noon ET (FOX, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).
