DALE COYNE RACING

Those who expected Dale Coyne’s squad to falter with engineer Craig Hampson’s departure to Arrow Mclaren SP and Michael Cannon joining Chip Ganassi Racing were not paying attention when it was revealed that Olivier Boisson would stay on to race engineer Santino Ferrucci and Eric Cowden would come on board to produce set-ups for Alex Palou. They both have the experience and wisdom to plug in to any project and enhance its outcome.

Cowden has done a wonderful job with Palou, who was such a star of Super Formula in his first year and then swiftly adapted to the demands of Indycar. They already have a podium finish, and to some minds reaching the Fast Nine at Indy will be even more impressive, but then perhaps it’s time to revisit the cliched theory that the Speedway behaves like an ultra-fast road course.

It’s hard to find a flaw with Palou, but dealing with 200 laps of Indy while keeping composure and dealing with its Jekyll and Hyde ‘personality’ will be as alien a task as he’s tried this year.

Ferrucci has calmed himself a lot and looks less like a man on the brink of an accident and more like a driver who knows that respect is only earned if you push to the edge of adhesion and hope, and don’t get carried away in the heat of the moment. He’s due a strong finish, and as 2019 Rookie of the Year at IMS, he could pick no better venue to deliver the goods. But he hasn’t looked entirely happy with his car yet.

James Davison appeared perplexed by being slower than Palou despite identical set-ups. His hopes were hardly boosted when he missed the Sunday afternoon practice to race in NASCAR’S Daytona roval race.

“FERRUCCI HAS CALMED HIMSELF A LOT AND LOOKS LESS LIKE A MAN ON THE BRINK OF AN ACCIDENT”