Driving the No. 11 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, the 22-year-old Kiwi was fifth-quickest out of 27 drivers attending the test. Armstrong was also one of only seven drivers to hit the century mark, turning 101 laps (tied with Scott Dixon).
Dario Franchitti, a four-time IndyCar Series champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner who now works in a coaching role for Chip Ganassi Racing, was impressed by Armstrong’s quick transition from Formula 2.
“Yeah, he’s made a lot of progress over the last two days, understanding an Indy car,” Franchitti said. “He showed up as not a complete package, but he’s smart. He understands everything that’s going on as far as the dynamics of the car. His feedback is great. All those types of things. He’s very methodical in the way he works through things, and he’s bloody fast.”
“So, yeah, it’s really good to have him in the car. We’re just trying to educate him a bit in the intricacies of an Indy car as opposed to the Formula 2 car that he’s used to.”
Armstrong, a former member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, spent the past three seasons in Formula 2, where he won four races, including three last year. He will run a partial schedule in 2023, contesting the road and street events on the IndyCar Series calendar.
Franchitti adds that the addition of Armstrong to the Ganassi lineup with full-timers Dixon, Ericsson, and Alex Palou has delivered only good things.
“Very positive, really, we’re very happy. The whole team is really happy with him, and he’s fitting in really well with the other three drivers. So yeah, it’s good.”
The 2023 NTT IndyCar season kicks off on Sunday, March 5 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
