Kirkwood and Ericsson aim to build on strong starts

Drivers are preparing for the Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix this weekend. Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson, teammates at Andretti Global, are bringing good momentum after strong finishes in the season opener in St. Petersburg, Florida. Kirkwood finished fifth in St. Petersburg, but he is eager for more. He admits he is not fully satisfied with his performance. "I’m not extremely happy," he said. Kirkwood believes the new road course at Thermal Club will offer a chance to improve. Qualifying for the race will be held Saturday afternoon, with the race on Sunday at noon. Ericsson, who finished sixth in the last race, feels more positive about his performance. He sees it as a confidence boost, stating, "I feel like we had a really solid weekend." He looks forward to the new challenges that the Thermal Club track will present. The Thermal Club race is a fresh addition to the IndyCar Series. Drivers are excited to test their skills on the new layout, which includes difficult corners. The race will also use a new hybrid engine that is heavier than last year's version, affecting speed and performance on the track. Some drivers are critical of the hybrid engines. Colton Herta, a fellow Andretti driver, noted the added weight but said the track layout is more important for speed. Herta has tested at the Thermal Club and is familiar with its layout. In practice sessions, Alex Palou posted the fastest lap, with Kirkwood, Ericsson, and Herta following close behind. Herta expressed relief at starting off strong after testing at the track. The session had a brief interruption when a rookie driver's car caught fire. The drivers are eager to show their skills in the new environment, and the challenge of the Thermal Club awaits them.