IndyCar – Simon Pagenaud first winner of the Indianapolis GP

The tricolors flew high this Saturday on the route of the Indianapolis Grand Prix, organized on the Infield of the legendary American oval. With his first success of the season, simon pagenaud (Schmidt Peterson Motorsports) writes a page in the history ofIndyCar by becoming the first to put his name on the list of winners in a road race in Indianapolis.

Qualified 4th, the Poitevin rider avoided a crash at the start, when pole sitter Sebastian Saavedra (KV Racing) stalled. In the peloton, we try to avoid the car immobilized, but Mikhail Aleshin, Pagenaud's teammate, hits Saavedra and causes the first neutralization of the race. Another collateral victim of this departure, Carlos Munoz (Andretti). At the restart, the new leader Hunter-Reay (Andretti) lost two places, overtaken by rookie Jack Hawksworth (Bryan Herta Autosport) and Pagenaud. These two will dominate much of the race, with Hawksworth gradually widening a gap that will peak at almost 5″.

The first refueling stops do not change the hierarchy in the top 5, but the yellow flag caused by the exit of Scott Dixon (Ganassi) after a muscular duel with Will Power (Penske) will turn everything upside down. Hunter-Reay remained on the track and took the lead while in the pits, Pagenaud took advantage of a superb stop by his team to pass Hawksworth. After two new yellow flags caused by the Montagny-Plowman crash (which caused the Frenchman to retire) and the contact at the following restart between Montoya (who will be penalized with a drive-through for his maneuver) and Rahal, it is Oriol Servia (Rahal Letterman) who finds himself in the lead with less than 12 laps to go. The Spaniard, who passed through the pits several times after the first yellow flag at the start, saved his fuel and seemed on course to win but will have to return to the pitlane one last time for additional fuel a few laps from the finish. . Pagenaud regains control of the race and keeps the lead until the checkered flag. “  The car was incredible, declares the Frenchman upon arrival. We can play for the title this year. »

Ryan Hunter-Reay finished 2nd ahead Helio Castroneves (Penske), Sébastien Bourdais (KV Racing) excellent 4th and Charlie Kimball (Ganassi). The championship leader before this race Will Power (Penske), penalized with a drive-through for a safety violation in the pitlane, finished 8th.

Note that James Hinchcliffe (Andretti), who left the track during the race and having abandoned, was transferred to hospital, but we do not yet know precisely the reason for these examinations.

Discover the report from the Indianapolis Grand Prix in issue 1960 of AUTOhebdo, available from tomorrow evening in digital version on all platforms, and from Wednesday on newsstands.