In Idianapolise on the route Indianapolis Motor Speedway started the big races. IndyCar Series stays there in 2014 two stages: the Grand Prix on the road configuration and the Indianapolis 500 in the oval. On Saturday, he held the Grand Prix, and on Monday, two weeks before the start, start free rides on the oval. Simon Pagenaud (Team Penske) and Sebastien Bourdais (KVSH Racing) were the protagonists in the last race. But if Pagenaud won the race, then we waited again Burde trouble.
Road version of «Motor Speedway» is a classic formula-track similar to the European track and «tilkedromy» with a series of fast and slow turns and high security zones. The race is 200 miles (round 82). But there is a segment of an oval: Its pilots are the last before the line «start-finish». Previously, this configuration was used for the United States Grand Prix, «Formula 1», which went out largely because of the low attendance of American fans. By the way, this time the Grand Prix IndyCar Series fans not aroused much interest: the stands were filled with the strength of a third, but in the Indy 500 is already sold out.
It is fair to say that the race got boring, and it is possible to note a few poignant moments. However, to predict what Simon Pagenaud from pole exactly win the race, it was impossible. French Team Penske driver almost missed another victory. In the race, one of the decisive factors was the cool weather.
At higher temperatures, the air and the track during the free practice and qualification of pilots, in particular, our Mikhail Aleshin, showed the best results.
Great importance also had the speed and coordination of work in the pit stops and race strategy as a whole. The advantage over the Honda cars Chevrolet is in this race was not as important, but a lot of cars setting decided. Group Penske engineers fine tuned machine Pagenaud, giving him the opportunity for a long time to keep the lead and eventually win.
Simon Pagenaud started from pole position, and the whole group leaders passed the first turn safely. Sebastien Bourdais went into the race from eighth position, Mikhail Aleshin — from ninth. Well, they do not «met» at the end of the start line, otherwise the story «Aleshin — Bourdais» would finally become a" meme. " This time Bourdais crashed with Tony Canaan (Chip Ganassi Racing), and was not to blame for the collision.
Simon Pagenaud started from pole position, and the whole group leaders passed the first turn safely. Sebastien Bourdais went into the race from eighth position, Mikhail Aleshin — from ninth. Well, they do not «met» at the end of the start line, otherwise the story «Aleshin — Bourdais» would finally become a" meme. " This time Bourdais crashed with Tony Canaan (Chip Ganassi Racing), and was not to blame for the collision.
Canaan blocked the path of his team-mate Scott Dixon. Trying to avoid a collision took Tony to the left and «moored» Bourdais to the wall. Both cars were damaged, but Bourdais himself reached the mechanics and later went on the road with a lag of 19 laps. Mikhail Aleshin won nothing by accident two opponents in front of him and stayed on the 9th position, but on the sixth lap rose to eighth.
Before the first wave of pit stops back of the field stretched out, the fight on the track almost was not, that is, it was not obvious poignant moments. Pazhno keep the lead, as Mikhail Aleshin fell back to 12th place. Until the end of the race he did not manage to get back into the top ten. According to the pilot, the culprit was technical problems that began with the arrival of the start.
The second wave of pit stops intervened Bourdais. Mechanics seem to have eliminated the suspension breakage and released the pilot on the track, but it did not work out. Sebastian stopped his car on the grass, just coming on the track, which caused yellow flags and the appearance of the safety car. When the pace car is displayed during the pit stops — it is always interesting. If it happens on the oval, the drivers, the mechanics find themselves, lose their positions, but on the road the road — on the contrary become, if you're lucky. So, without thinking about anything bad, Bourdais «move» Pazhno from first to fourth place in the race and took the lead Elio Kstroneves (Penscke), who started from 13th position.
When the safety car left the track, Castroneves was instantly attacked by Conor Daly (Dale Coyne Racing) and lost the lead. Simon Pagenaud and immediately rescued one position and sat down «on the tail of» leaders. was little more than a third of the distance to the end of the race, and Pazhno could remain without a win, and even without a podium at all.
In case again I joined the team, when the last wave of pit stops. Pagenaud outlasted his rivals on the road, drove into the pit lane later. The mechanics worked well, and Simon again took the lead. As for Mikhail Aleshin, it lost another position, being the 13th. So he finished.
Simon Pagenaud won the third race in a row IndyCar. Of the five previous stages he has never fallen below the second position at the finish. For American formulaic series — a unique situation, when a pilot is such an indisputable leader.
«In fact we do not have such a big advantage. In qualifying 22 riders kept within 0.6 seconds. from the leader. And when there is an opportunity to improve the performance in the race, as it happened today — excellent. But the fact that this happened in three races — just unbelievable, „- said Simon Pagenaud after arrival.
After two weeks on the oval Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be held for the hundredth time the famous race, „500 miles of Indianapolis.“ In general, this circuit is one of the oldest in the US, he was more than a hundred years. In the near future owners will take the next modernization and repair of this historic route. From Monday to Sunday seven training sessions will be held. Qualifying will take place the week before the race — on Saturday and Sunday (21 and 22 May). Next will be another two training sessions, and on May 29th in the race will be held on Sunday.
Photo: Jim Haines, Bret Kelley, Shawn Gritzmacher, Facebook Mikhail Aleshin
