Aside from installation laps, in the first 10 minutes, the action was provided by rookies, as they were granted an extra set of primary tyres for this session.
Andretti Autosport’s newcomer Devlin DeFrancesco was the first to break the 62-second barrier around the 1.8-mile course, clocking a 61.8256s lap, an average of 104.811mph.
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His former Indy Lights team-mate Kyle Kirkwood got very close in the AJ Foyt Racing-Chevrolet, and eventually surpassed him, but by then three-time St. Pete winner Helio Castroneves had vaulted the Meyer Shank Racing-Honda to the top with a 61.6086s.
That time held strong until Andretti Autosport’s veterans hit the track, at which point the team’s star signing Grosjean delivered a 61.0525s, with defending St. Pete winner Colton Herta 0.3241s back.
Top Chevrolet performer in third was Team Penske’s series sophomore Scott McLaughlin, until team-mate and nine-time St. Pete polesitter Will Power slotted into second overall.
Herta reclaimed that position with his next flyer, his deficit to Grosjean down to 0.1042s, while Graham Rahal and Jack Harvey had moved their Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing machines into fourth and sixth, split by a third Andretti car, that of Alexander Rossi.
Simon Pagenaud, Meyer Shank Racing Honda
Photo by: IndyCar Series
With 11 minutes to go, Simon Pagenaud in his first official session with Meyer Shank moved into fourth but, three minutes later, Jimmie Johnson skittered into the Turn 10 run-off.
Despite his front brake catching fire while he was sitting still, the seven-time NASCAR champion kept his cool, and shuffled his way out without needing help from the marshals, but the incident had brought out the red flag.
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