IndyCar – Pagenaud wins the Indianapolis GP

Two second places and now three consecutive victories. This is the impressive record of simon pagenaud after five races this season in IndyCar. After his successes on the streets of Long Beach in California and Alabama, the French driver of Team Penske – Chevrolet won, for the second time in his career after 2014, the Indianapolis Grand Prix, contested on the road route of the legendary American complex.

Author of pole position in qualifying, Pagenaud mastered the start where Sébastien Bourdais (KVSH Racing – Chevrolet) and Tony Kanaan (Chip Ganassi Racing – Chevrolet) made contact, ruining the race for both drivers. If the Manceau was able to return to the pits to repair, he will ultimately be forced to retire after returning to the track.

If Conor Daly (Dale Coyne Racing – Honda) was at the forefront for a while after the interruption of the race caused by the immobilization of Sébastien Bourdais, Pagenaud dominated 57 of the 82 laps scheduled this Saturday evening in Indianapolis, and further increases his lead at the top of the championship with a 76-point gap over Scott Dixon before the big 500-mile event, where the Frenchman had shone in 2015 before seeing his chances of victory disappear after a contact.

Team Penske achieves the double thanks to the Brazilian Helio Castroneves, second after complicated qualifications. James hinchcliffe, returning to the scene of his terrible accident during free practice for the 500 miles last year, took third place at the wheel of the car of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports – Honda.

Graham Rahal (Team RLL – Honda) ranks fourth ahead of Charlie Kimball (Chip Ganassi Racing – Chevrolet) who climbs into the top 5. Conor Daly follows in the standings ahead of reigning champion Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing – Chevrolet), Juan Pablo Montoya (Team Penske – Chevrolet), Ryan Hunter-Reay (Andretti Autosport – Honda) and Alexander Red (Andretti Herta Autosport – Honda). Will Power (Team Penske – Chevolet) only finished 19th.

The IndyCar Series will now head towards the first tests of the Indianapolis 500, the next event on the calendar scheduled for May 29.

Results Indianapolis Grand Prix

Find the full report of the Indianapolis Grand Prix, in issue 2063 of AUTOhebdo, available from Monday evening in digital version and from next Wednesday on newsstands.