The 5 cars that built Simon Pagenaud's career

5. Formula Renault 2000

The native of Montmorillon (Vienna), fresh winner of the Volant Elf, jumped into a Formula Renault 2000 in 2002. In his back is a 2.0 liter engine taken from the Renault Clio and provides 185 horsepower. Enough to set in motion a racing car weighing only half a ton on the scale. 

Whether at the French or European level, it does not take long to come to the fore. Third in the French Championship in 2003 with ASM (future ART Grand Prix), he moved up one position the following year in the Eurocup, this time with Graff Racing, behind Scott Speed. 

4. Panoz DP01

Holder of a bonus of two million dollars thanks to his victory in Formula Atlantic in 2006, simon pagenaud aims for the next stage: Champ Car. In the championship dominated by his compatriot Sébastien Bourdais, the rookie arrives in the company of Team Australia and the future host of theIndyCar, Will Power. 

The Panoz DP01, powered by a turbo V8 block designed by Cosworth, also made its first rounds in 2007. With this new equipment, the beginner has an opportunity to showcase himself and takes it fully. 

No retirement, 19 laps led, but he failed to find his way to the podium. Regardless, his performances demonstrate real qualities and North American observers are pleasantly surprised by his potential.

3. HPD ARX-01C

Who said that a pilot car didn't know how to share? In 2008, Simon Pagenaud decided to look at the American side Le Mans Series (ALMS), the opportunities in IndyCar not being attractive and financially realistic enough.

In 2010, he joined forces with the Highcroft team alongside David Brabham to lead the HPD ARX-01c. Behind this terminology as simple as an equation, hides a Honda Performance Development (HPD) V8 engine in a Courage chassis modified by Acura (A), a branch of the Honda manufacturer. Each new development made to the prototype resulted in a different letter at the end of the name (the “c”). Not too much of a headache? 

More evident was the domination of the Franco-Australian duo that season. Still at the finish and on the podium, the title awaits them at the end of Petit Le Mans. Americans' view of Frenchy is changing; in addition to being fast, Simon Pagenaud is capable of keeping up the pace over an entire season. 

2. Peugeot 908

The shot came so close! At 13”854 very precisely during the 24 2011 Hours of Le Mans. This is what the French prototype lacked to beat the Audi R18 TDI of Fässler-Lotterer-Tréluyer at the end of a spectacular test.

Accompanied by the local Sébastien Bourdais and the Portuguese Pedro Lamy, Simon Pagenaud defends the colors of the Lion during a historic edition. Decimated by two violent accidents, the German rivals managed to defend themselves with a single R18 TDI against the blue armada. 

Combining reliability, speed and regularity, the French manufacturer had nothing to reproach itself with and had simply found someone better than him. This defeat remains in the throat of the Frenchman, who today wishes to return to Sarthe with legitimate ambitions.

“It's one of the best memories of my career and, of course, after winning Indy and finishing second at Le Mans, the objective is to try to win Le Mans also. One day I will definitely try to come back and be in the right situation to win. »

1. Dallara DW12

How to miss it? This single-seater took Poitevin to the heights of IndyCar, with the title in 2016 within Team Penske, then world motorsport in winning the Indianapolis 500 in 2019.

Developed by the late Dan Wheldon (who passed away in 2011 in an accident in Texas, hence the initials DW), this single-seater is the one with which Simon Pagenaud achieved the most success: 14 trophies (before the start of the 2020 season), the first dating back to Detroit in 2013.

So hired by the Schmidt Hamilton Motorsports, the Frenchman makes light of the numerous clashes to move up from sixth place on a winding circuit and bumpy. “Wow, that’s amazing. he said as he got out of the car. I don't know how we did it but the car was super fast today. The team did a great job, as did Honda. Now I hope there will be more to come. » 

He was right! The first representative of France to win the championship, Simon Pagenaud then achieved a historic month of May 2019 for French sport. Not content with winning the Indianapolis Grand Prix on the road circuit, he took the pole for the Indy 500 before leading his horse with remarkable determination towards the bottle of milk reserved for the winner of one of the most legendary events in the world. world.