"A different animal": Graham Rahal gives promising update on RLL's Indy 500 chances

Graham Rahal has not had great runs at the Indy 500, but his pace at the IMS has grown well over the past few weeks. With the biggest race of the season just over a week away, the 36-year-old opened up on Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's chances at the Indy 500 by claiming that his car is a different animal in comparison to his last year's ride.

Rahal has two podium finishes at the Indy 500, but he has not been a great qualifier at the 2.5-mile track. The Ohio-born driver had failed to qualify for the fabled race in 2023, but got the chance to take part in the race after Stefan Wilson withdrew from the starting grid after he was injured.

So, Graham Rahal knows how it feels not to make the cut at the Indy 500. But this year, his pace has been different. He has been well clear of the relegation zone during testing, and giving an honest verdict on RLL's chances at the Indy 500, he said (via motorsports journalist Tony Donohue on X):

"I thought we just had a little bit more speed in general, which frankly, we haven't had in a while. So that was the one thing that I take the most positivity out of it, but we are still on day one really, we'll see as the week goes on where we're at, we'll see as the week goes on where Honda's at. That's really important for us."

"It seemed at the test that things were coming a little easier, lap times were coming a little easier... Last year, it would have taken perfection to try to do that, so just a little bit of a different animal."

The 36-year-old scored a top-10 finish for the first time this year at the IMS track, but in the road course layout.

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Graham Rahal is content with his finish at the Sonsio IndyCar Grand Prix

Graham Rahal at the INDYCAR Sonsio Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Graham Rahal started on the front row for the Sonsio IndyCar Grand Prix. Though Alex Palou was in pole position, the RLL driver stuck it around the outside and took over the lead of the race.

The six-time race winner looked as if his winless streak might come to an end at the IMS road course layout and would bag win number seven at the track. He led 49 laps but was overtaken by Palou, and after a slow pit stop with a sub-optimal last stint, he came home in P6.

Despite this, Rahal was content with his result and said (via WISHTV):

"Overall, a really good finish for us. P6 is nothing to be disappointed about. We certainly want better, but for us, in a season like we’ve had, points is a great thing."

Graham Rahal bagged 31 points for his sixth-place finish and led the most laps at the Sonsio IndyCar Grand Prix.