Key takeaways
- Palou sets the pace: Álex Palou led Practice 2 at the inaugural IndyCar Washington GP, setting a 56.614s benchmark around the street circuit surrounding the White House and Capitol Hill.
- Andretti & Ganassi strong: Practice 1 leader Kyle Kirkwood finished 2nd (+0.076s) for Andretti, while Scott Dixon placed his Ganassi entry 3rd overall.
Álex Palou delivered the fastest lap in second practice for the IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Washington. Driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, the Spaniard posted a 56.614s lap around the 2.74 km street circuit laid out near the White House and Capitol Hill.
Kyle Kirkwood, who led Saturday morning’s first practice session, finished 2nd fastest for Andretti Autosport with a 56.691s effort. Scott Dixon completed the top three for Ganassi, posting a 56.818s lap.
Arrow McLaren placed three cars inside the top six, led by Nolan Siegel in 4th (56.839s), Pato O’Ward in 5th (56.873s), and Christian Lundgaard in 6th (56.875s). Scott McLaughlin was Team Penske’s sole representative inside the top ten in 7th position.
Red flags briefly interrupted the session due to separate incidents involving Graham Rahal and Louis Foster, who both lost control over the high-speed bump leading into Turn 6.
AJ Foyt Racing spent the early part of the session completing a full engine swap on Caio Collet’s car following issues in Practice 1. Once on track, the rookie posted a 57.281s lap to finish 14th overall, edging teammate Santino Ferrucci (20th) and leading all 2026 rookies.
IndyCar action continues on Saturday with qualifying set for 18:00 local time. GRANDE PRÊMIO provides complete coverage of the Washington GP. Follow all paddock updates on our news page.
IndyCar Practice 2 results: Washington GP 2026
| Pos | Driver | Team | Engine | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Álex Palou | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 56.614 | — |
| 2 | Kyle Kirkwood | Andretti Autosport | Honda | 56.691 | +0.076 |
| 3 | Scott Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 56.818 | +0.203 |
| 4 | Nolan Siegel | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet | 56.839 | +0.225 |
| 5 | Pato O’Ward | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet | 56.873 | +0.259 |
| 6 | Christian Lundgaard | Arrow McLaren | Chevrolet | 56.875 | +0.261 |
| 7 | Scott McLaughlin | Team Penske | Chevrolet | 56.894 | +0.280 |
| 8 | Alexander Rossi | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | 56.936 | +0.322 |
| 9 | Marcus Ericsson | Andretti Autosport | Honda | 57.095 | +0.481 |
| 10 | Christian Rasmussen | Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | 57.132 | +0.517 |
| 11 | David Malukas | Team Penske | Chevrolet | 57.202 | +0.587 |
| 12 | Marcus Armstrong | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda | 57.207 | +0.593 |
| 13 | Will Power | Andretti Autosport | Honda | 57.231 | +0.616 |
| 14 | Caio Collet | AJ Foyt Racing | Chevrolet | 57.281 | +0.666 |
| 15 | Mick Schumacher | Rahal Letterman Lanigan | Honda | 57.397 | +0.783 |
| 16 | Felix Rosenqvist | Meyer Shank Racing | Honda | 57.470 | +0.855 |
| 17 | Rinus VeeKay | Juncos Hollinger Racing | Chevrolet | 57.518 | +0.904 |
| 18 | Dennis Hauger | Dale Coyne Racing | Honda | 57.549 | +0.935 |
| 19 | Josef Newgarden | Team Penske | Chevrolet | 57.580 | +0.965 |
| 20 | Santino Ferrucci | AJ Foyt Racing | Chevrolet | 57.580 | +0.965 |
| 21 | Kyffin Simpson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 57.585 | +0.971 |
| 22 | Romain Grosjean | Dale Coyne Racing | Honda | 57.883 | +1.269 |
| 23 | Sting Ray Robb | Juncos Hollinger Racing | Chevrolet | 58.472 | +1.857 |
| 24 | Louis Foster | Rahal Letterman Lanigan | Honda | 58.991 | +2.377 |
| 25 | Graham Rahal | Rahal Letterman Lanigan | Honda | 59.763 | +3.149 |
Session schedule: Washington Grand Prix 2026
| Session | Local time (EDT) | UTC |
| Qualifying | Saturday, August 22 – 18:00 | 22:00 |
| Race | Sunday, August 23 – 14:00 | 18:00 |
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. Who set the fastest lap in IndyCar Practice 2 at Washington?
Álex Palou set the fastest time with a 56.614s lap for Chip Ganassi Racing.
2. Where is the IndyCar Grand Prix of Washington being held?
The race takes place on a temporary 2.74 km street circuit winding around the White House and Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
3. How did Caio Collet perform despite his engine troubles?
After undergoing an engine change during the session, Caio Collet posted the 14th fastest time overall (57.281s), making him the highest-placed rookie in FP2.
