UPDATE 3: All Friday running has been pushed to Saturday due to ongoing construction. A revised schedule will see IndyCar’s first practice session run on Saturday at 10:05 AM eastern time.
UPDATE 2: IndyCar’s first practice session will now be held at 6:00 PM eastern time on Friday. It will be televised on FS1 in the US and standard outlets globally.
UPDATE 1: Track build operations are continuing into the time of IndyCar’s first scheduled practice session. The session is delayed while operations are completed.
IndyCar statement: “As preparations continue at the Streets of Markham circuit, today’s NTT IndyCar Series Practice 1 session, scheduled for 3:05 PM ET, is on hold.
“Once the race promoter has completed the track build and INDYCAR deems the circuit safe and appropriate for competition, the first on-track session of the weekend will begin.
“Further updates will be provided throughout the afternoon.”
The NTT IndyCar Series is visiting a brand new street circuit this weekend in Markham, Ontario, Canada.
Last-minute construction of the track is threatening to delay track running, however, specifically the first practice session on Friday afternoon.
Multiple components to the race weekend have already been delayed, including the track walk that was moved from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning.
Support series practice runs have been delayed as well, with USF 2000 not taking to the track Friday morning as planned while construction is ongoing.
It was reported that approximately 300 concrete barriers still needed to be installed as of Thursday, and scenes from the track walk Friday morning showed concrete and tire barriers still being installed following an all-out effort overnight to complete the build.
First practice for IndyCar is scheduled for 3:00 PM eastern time on Friday, and as of the morning the plan is for that session to take place as scheduled.
An IndyCar official confirmed on Friday morning, “We remain on time for the NTT IndyCar Series practice at 3:05.”
It is not uncommon for rushed completion of new street course layouts to be necessary.
IndyCar’s inaugural visit to Nashville in 2021, when the event was held on the streets, had multiple areas of delayed construction, including a grandstand.
In that instance, fans were moved to different areas for the opening day of running before being allowed into their purchased seats for the race.
A full track repave was completed in Markham in the months leading up to this weekend’s event, and only the installation of surface components are of concern at this point.
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