Rookies take on Indianapolis in open test, Newgarden leads first veteran session

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The official pre-race test in preparation for the 110th Indianapolis 500, is taking place this week at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The open test on the 2.5-mile oval in Indianapolis, in which all 33 drivers entered for the Indy 500 (May 24) will participate, is scheduled for two days (Tuesday and Wednesday).

An important part of this two-day test is the so-called "Rookie Orientation Program" (ROP), in which the rookies in the field must earn their eligibility for official Indy 500 racing activities (free practice, qualifying, race). The ROP was scheduled for two hours on Tuesday, the first of the two test days.

It was particularly exciting for the three full-time rookies in the 25-strong field of 2026 IndyCar regulars: Mick Schumacher, Dennis Hauger, and Caio Collet. For all three, early Tuesday afternoon marked their very first fast laps on the famous 2.5-mile oval as part of the ROP.

Three drivers pass rookie program, Hauger nears completion

The ROP is a mandatory familiarization program on the Indianapolis oval consisting of three stages. In Stage 1, drivers must complete 10 laps at an average speed of 205 to 210 miles per hour (mph) —no faster. Converted to kilometers per hour (km/h), this first stage (Phase 1) requires an average speed between 229.8 and 337.9 km/h over 10 laps.

Once Phase 1 has been successfully completed, the driver moves on to Phase 2. In this second stage, the driver must complete 15 laps at an average speed of 210 to 215 miles per hour (337.9 to 345.9 km/h)—no faster. Once Phase 2 has also been successfully completed, Phase 3 is the final step on the agenda. In this third stage, the driver must complete 15 laps, each with an average speed of more than 215 miles per hour (at least 345.9 km/h).

The following applies to all three phases of the ROP: The required laps do not have to be completed consecutively. However, the prescribed number of laps must be completed within the specified speed range for each phase before the driver can advance to the next phase. The three-stage ROP has been mandatory for all Indy 500 rookies in this form for decades.

On Tuesday, under cloudy skies, both Caio Collet and Mick Schumacher successfully completed the three-stage rookie program as required. Dennis Hauger, the third full-time rookie in the field, has not yet completed Phase 3 within the allotted two hours. However, the Norwegian can still make up for this later in the test. He has already passed Phases 1 and 2, so it shouldn't be an issue.