BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Many spectators for the initial day of the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama found comfort under the tall pines dotting the eastern side of the Barber Motorsports Park road course during the afternoon Verizon IndyCar Series practice session.

Drivers also noticed the ambient (74 degrees) and track (120 degrees) temperatures, which were considerably warmer than the Open Test on the 2.38-mile, 17-turn road course five weeks ago, and how their cars reacted. Grip levels were significantly less in the hard-braking corners.

"You're like, 'Is this the same car?' I think it's very difficult to anticipate what might happen," said Sebastien Bourdais, who was second quick through the pair of 45-minute sessions. "I think everybody's trying to guess what the race is going to be like. We know actually from 2012 how slick this place can be when it gets hot, how much tire degradation can be here."

The primary Firestone Firehawk tires in stock are a new compound for 2014, and the same that were provided for the Open Test. The alternate tires are the same compound used for the 2013 event that was three weeks earlier on the schedule.

Last year, the three rounds of qualifications started at 10:15 a.m., with an ambient temperature of 66 degrees and the track temperature at 87 degrees. The April 26 qualifications will commence at 2 p.m. (CT), with the forecast for temps in the low 80s.

"(Less grip is) throwing all the teams for a bit of a loop, which I think is a good thing because we test here quite often," said Ryan Hunter-Reay, who won the 2013 race from the pole and was quickest in both practice sessions. "Definitely can't get enough of Barber, but it's definitely good to have some different track conditions around."