The Verizon IndyCar Series heads to Indianapolis for its first race of May. The first group out for qualifying consisting of Marco Andretti, Ed Jones, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, Tony Kanaan, Alexander Rossi, Mikhail ALeshin, J.R. Hildebrand, Conor Daly, Charlie Kimball, and James Hinchcliffe.
Mikhail Aleshin would have a moment early in the session getting loose and almost spinning out. Marco Andretti would lead the session early before being eclipsed by the Team Penske drivers of Josef Newgarden and Simon Pagenaud.
Andretti would hold onto 4th spot advancing into the next session along with Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, Alexander Rossi, Tony Kanaan, and James Hinchcliffe. Eliminated from qualifying would Aleshin, Hildebrand, Daly, Kimball, and Jones.
The second session will host Will Power, returning Juan Pablo Montoya, Scott Dixon, Sebastien Bourdais, Helio Castroneves, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Max Chilton, Graham Rahal, Spencer Pigot, Takuma Sato, and Carlos Munoz.
Castroneves set the pace early with a 1:08.2619 on the red tires. Juan Pablo Montoya would set into 4th with just minutes remaining in the session. Will Power would knock Castroneves off the top of the session with 2 minutes left. Power would keep the lead advancing along with Castroneves, Bourdais, Dixon, Montoya, and Hunter-Reay. Failing to advance would be Chilton, Pigot, Munoz, Rahal, and rounding out the round would be Takuma Sato. Chilton had a moment late almost colliding with Ed Jones on his final flying lap.
Round 2 of qualifying will have Marco Andretti, Will Power, Alexander Rossi, Simon Pagenaud, Tony Kanaan, and James Hinchcliffe from session 1 while joining them from session 2 will be Will Power, Juan Pablo Montoya, Sebastien Bourdais, Scott Dixon, Helio Castroneves, Ryan Hunter-Reay.
Helio Castroneves showed his first going quickest of the first flying laps. Juan Pablo Montoya would not show any signs of ring rust being 2nd early in the session. Marco Andretti’s first flyer would see him in 3rd place for the time being. Andretti would get pushed back into the 11th spot. Also failing to get into the Firestone Fast 6 would be Simon Pagenaud, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Alexander Rossi, James Hinchcliffe, and Tony Kanaan.
Moving into the shootout for pole will be Will Power, Juan Pablo Montoya, Helio Castroneves, Josef Newgarden, Scott Dixon, and Sebastien Bourdais.
The Firestone Fast 6 starts with Will Power turning in a 1:07.7044 the first sub 1:08 lap of the weekend. That time would hold up with Will Power getting his 47th pole. Following Power would be Helio Castroneves, Josef Newgarden, Scott Dixon, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Sebastien Bourdais.
Starting Lineup for the IndyCar Indianapolis Grand Prix
Row 1: Will Power | Helio Castroneves
Row 2: Josef Newgarden | Scott Dixon
Row 3: Juan Pablo Montoya | Sebastien Bourdais
Row 4: Simon Pagenaud | Ryan Hunter-Reay
Row 5: Alexander Rossi | James Hinchcliffe
Row 6: Marco Andretti | Tony Kanaan
Row 7: Ed Jones | Max Chilton
Row 8: Conor Daly | Spencer Pigot
Row 9: Mikhail Aleshin | Carlos Munoz
Row 10: Charlie Kimball | Graham Rahal
Row 11: JR Hildebrand | Takuma Sato
Featured Image Credit – www.indycar.com – Bret Kelley
