O'Ward beats Power in the final seconds to lead Indy TL2 at Road America

McLaren's Mexican Pato O'Ward led the last free practice session at Elkhart Lake before qualifying, held on Saturday morning (11). With a time of 1min45s268, the owner of the #7 car beat championship leader Will Power, from Penske, in the final seconds of the session held at the Road America circuit.

Current IndyCar Series champion and winner of the 2021 Elkhart Lake GP, Ganassi's Álex Palou was fourth, followed by Andretti's Alexander Rossi, who finished the top-four formed by different teams. Penske's Josef Newgarden was fifth.

Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson took Ganassi to seventh place behind Colton Herta's Andretti, but ahead of Romain Grosjean, Scott McLaughlin, and Scott Dixon, who completed the top 10.

Meyer Shank's Brazilian Helio Castroneves responded well on Saturday morning, closing the session in 13th place with a time of 1min46s238, ahead of teammate Simon Pagenaud.

Qualifying for the GP of Elkhart Lake is scheduled for 2:45 pm (EST time), with full coverage by GRANDE PRÊMIO.

Learn how practice 2 of the Elkhart Lake GP went:

The 45-minute free practice, in a one-hour window, started at 11:45 a.m. (Brasília time). Unlike Friday's activity, the riders wasted no time and soon set out for the first fast laps at Road America. Conor Daly finished the first 10 minutes ahead with a lap time of 1min46s524.

The Spaniard, Ganassi's Álex Palou, winner at Road America in 2021, came in to knock the American out of first position. The reigning IndyCar Series champion's time was 1min45s406. Romain Grosjean led Andretti to second place, also passing Daly, with a time of 1min46s002, only to be beaten seconds later by Pato O'Ward with 1min45s857. Callum Ilott, who was ninth, braked his wheels and spun in the escape area, but the red flag was avoided.

The first half of the session ended with the top-10 consisting of Palou, Ericsson, O'Ward, Newgarden, Grosjean, McLaughlin, Sato, Pagenaud, Lundgaard, and Daly. Championship leader Will Power came out in sequence to knock Palou off the top, clocking 1min45s384.

In the final stretch, Friday's leader Alexander Rossi overcame Andretti's problems to set the third best time of 1:45:557, behind Power and Palou. And just when it looked like no one else would move Will out of the lead, Patricio O'Ward emerged to clock 1min45s268 with the McLaren, taking the top spot of the session.

Indy 2022, Elkhart Lake GP, Free Practice 2