Marcus Ericsson had the fastest lap in practice Friday at Barber Motorsports Park. He recorded a lap time clocked at 1-minute, 7.7470-seconds/122.219 mph in the No. 28 Bryant Honda fielded by Andretti Global. NTT IndyCar Series photo

Courtesy of INDYCAR

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ Now, that lap is more like

Ericsson’s quickest lap, turned during the 40-minute session open to all cars, came on Firestone’s alternate compound tires, which provide more grip but faster wear.

SEE: Practice Results

Ericsson is looking for a rebound season after a challenging first year with Andretti Global in 2024, when he finished a disappointing 15th in the championship. The 2022 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner, Ericsson is 12th in the standings after three races.

Series leader Alex Palou, winner of the last two season titles, continued his metronomic consistency by placing second at 1:07.7602-seconds/122.196 mph in the No. 10 HRC Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. A native of Spain, Palou won the first two races of the season and finished second in the most recent event, the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 13.

Like many of his competitors, Palou got busy in a hurry in the 80-minute session, which began with an all-cars practice followed by two, 12-minute group runs. Rain is forecast Saturday in the Birmingham area, which could limit track time. Practice is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. (EDT), with NTT P1 Award qualifying at 2:35 p.m. Both sessions will be carried by FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

“It was only 40 minutes plus a 12-minute session, and going straight to a race if tomorrow it rains will be tough,” said Palou, the three-time/reigning series champ. “But it’s the same for everybody, so we were able to find a couple of things to check, to test both (tire) compounds and see the difference there. It’s going to be interesting, for sure.”

Colton Herta ensured Andretti Global drivers took two of the top three spots as he placed third at 1:07.7728-seconds/122.173 mph in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda. Two-time series champion Will Power of Australia was the fastest Chevrolet-powered driver, fourth at 1:07.7869-seconds/122.147 mph in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet.

Alexander Rossi continued the solid start to the season with his new team, Ed Carpenter Racing, by completing the top-five at 1:07.8098-seconds/122.106 mph in the No. 20 ECR Java House Chevrolet.

Six-time series champion Scott Dixon of New Zealand was 10^th after a lap at 1:08.0960-seconds/121.593 mph in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Dallas resident Santino Ferrucci placed 12th for Waller, Texas-based A.J. Foyt Racing at 1:08.1808-seconds/121.442 mph in the No. 14 Sexton Properties Chevrolet.

Arrow McLaren ace Pato O’Ward, a native of Mexico with family ties to San Antonio, was 14^th after a best lap of 1:08.2134-seconds/121.384 mph. “I love Barber. It’s high-commitment and obviously a stunning facility,” said O’Ward, who logged 26 laps in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. “We tested here a couple of weeks ago, but today was a bit different. We’re just working through that but I think we’ll be alright.”

BMP’s 2.3-mile/17-turn natural terrain road-course is one of the most challenging and physically demanding circuits on the NTT IndyCar Series schedule, and two series stars explored the limits of grip and the racing surface during this opening session.

Two-time/reigning Barber winner Scott McLaughlin drove into the grass exiting Turn 17 and continued early in the session in his No. 3 Good Ranchers Team Penske Chevrolet. A native of New Zealand, McLaughlin later saved his car from contact during a sensational power slide in Turn 14.

Sweden’s Felix Rosenqvist also went off-track and into the gravel in his No. 60 SiriusXM Honda fielded by Meyer Shank Racing. Felix also made no contact and continued.

The 90-lap/207-mile race is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. (EDT) Sunday on FOX, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Rookie Dennis Hauger continued the impressive start to his INDY NXT by Firestone career Friday by leading practice for the Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park.

Andretti Global’s Hauger, a native of Norway, was quickest in the 45-minute session with a lap of 1- minute, 12.1621-seconds/114.742 mph in the No. 28 Rental Group car. A Formula 2 race-winner, Hauger qualified on-pole and led every lap of the season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg street race in Florida on March 2.

SEE: Practice Results

“It was a good run,” Hauger said. “As a team, we seem strong today. I think we still have some things to work on and feel like there was still some time in there for me. But a good start, and it’s good to see we sort of left off where we ended in St. Pete.”

Brazilian Caio Collet, in his second season in INDYCAR’s development series, was second at 1:12.4694-seconds/114.255 mph in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports machine. Veteran teammate Josh Pierson was third at 1:12.7627-seconds/113.795 mph in the No. 14 HMD Motorsports car.

Rookie Lochie Hughes of Australia clocked in fourth at 1:12.7689-seconds/113.785 mph in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship car. Hughes finished second to Andretti Global teammate Hauger in his series debut on the Streets of St. Pete.

Andretti Global saw all four of its drivers land in the top-six of the time sheets. Veteran Salvador de Alba of Mexico was the third Andretti driver in the top-five, as he lapped at 1:12.7865-seconds/113.757 mph in the No. 27 Grupo Indi car. Andretti Global veteran James Roe, a native of Ireland, was sixth at 1:12.8097-seconds/113.721 mph in the No. 29 Topcon machine.

There was one incident with contact that triggered a red flag 19 minutes into the session. Rookie Evagoras Papasavvas, making his first series start, nosed into the tire barrier in Turn 17 in the No. 24 HMD Motorsports car. The American of Cypriot descent was uninjured.

Up next is another practice at 10:10 a.m. (EDT) Saturday, followed by qualifying at 1:30 p.m. FOX Sports 1, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network will provide live coverage of both sessions. Sunday’s race, scheduled for 35 laps/80.5-miles/55 minutes, is set for 11:30 a.m. on FS1.

NTT IndyCar Series Point Standings _ 1, Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, 142; 2, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global, 108; 3, Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren, 96; 4, Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, 88; 5, Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing, 86; 6, Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren, 80; 7, Colton Herta, Andretti Global, 73; 8, Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske, 69; 9, Will Power, Team Penske, 63; 10, Josef Newgarden, Team Penske, 58;

11, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing, 58; 12, Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global, 55; 13, Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Racing, 51; 14, Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing, 50; 15, Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing, 48; 16, Rinus VeeKay, Dale Coyne Racing, 46; 17, Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 45; 18, David Malukas, A.J. Foyt Racing, 42; 19, Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing, 40; 20, Sting Ray Robb, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 39;

21, Conor Daly, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 32; 22, Robert Shwartzman, Prema Racing, 30; 23, Nolan Siegel, Arrow McLaren, 26; 24, Callum Ilott, Prema Racing, 25; 25, Louis Foster, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 25; 26, Devlin DeFrancesco, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 24; 27, Jacob Abel, Dale Coyne Racing, 17.

FOX SPORTS’ 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES BROADCAST COVERAGE SCHEDULE

Sunday, March 2 _ Streets of St. Petersburg, Fla. (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, March 23 _The Thermal Club, Thermal, Calif.  (Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing)

Sunday, April 13 _ Streets of Long Beach, Calif. (Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global)

Sunday, May 4 _ Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala. (FOX, 1:30 p.m.)

Saturday, May 10 _ Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road-Course (FOX, 4:30 p.m.)

Sunday, May 25 _ Indianapolis Motor Speedway Oval (FOX, 10 a.m.)

Sunday, June 1 _ Streets of Detroit (FOX, 12:30 p.m.)

Sunday, June 15 _ World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill. (FOX, 3 p.m.)

Sunday, June 22 _ Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis. (FOX, 3:30 p.m.)

Sunday, July 6 _ Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington (FOX, 2 p.m.)

Saturday, July 12 _ Iowa Speedway, Newton, Race 1 (FOX, 5 p.m.)

Sunday, July 13 _ Iowa Speedway, Newton, Race 2 (FOX, 2 p.m.)

Sunday, July 20 _ Streets of Toronto, Canada (FOX, 2 p.m.)

Sunday, July 27 _ WeatherTech Raceway, Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif. (FOX, 3 p.m.)

Sunday, Aug. 10 _ Portland (Ore.) International Raceway (FOX, 3 p.m.)

Sunday, Aug. 24 _ The Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, Wis. (FOX, 2 p.m.)

Sunday, Aug. 31 _ Nashville Superspeedway, Lebanon, Tenn. (2:30 p.m.)

NOTE _ All times Eastern. Dates and times subject to change.