Less than a week is one of the oldest in the world of motor racing track — Indianapolis Motor Speedway — will hundredth anniversary race «500 miles of Indianapolis.» These events, along with race, «24 Hours of Le Mans» and the «Grand Prix of Monaco» among the three most significant events in world motorsport, which is considered to win the top talent and prestige. Under a race and qualification, which is preceded by six days of training. The fight for pole position were pilots for two days per week to start.
Rules of qualification is also somewhat different from that adopted in other stages of the championship. At the start of the car can go 33. If applications more, the excess are eliminated on the first day of races on Saturday. However, at the jubilee race more than 33 applications was not found, so «knock» on Saturday, there was no one. The first day has defined fast «nine» — pilots who have played and the first position at the start. All other Sunday struggled to improve its position from 10 th to 33 th. On Saturday, the riders have more time on the track and the chance to show the best result: you can make several attempts and exits. During qualifying on the road should be only one car, so formed two lines, «quick» and «normal.» If the pilot uses a fast exit, his previous result is canceled. The attempt of the four fastest laps, where you have to show the highest speed. Offset is conducted speed rather than time. The winner is the one who has average speed of all four wheels maximum.
First day
On Saturday in the «Indianapolis» identified nine favorites, contenders for pole position. Weather conditions on the track were changing, which is why the qualification start was slightly delayed. Of great importance is the wind: if it is incidental on the line, the situation is more favorable for maximum speed.
The first part of the training was on the conditions on the track slower, so the most interesting things happened in the last 45 minutes.
At the beginning of qualifying and took the lead for a long time kept does not participate in the championship on a full schedule Townsend Bell (Andretti Autosport). Not all your favorites, including Simon Pagenaud championship leader (Team Penske) and three-time winner Indy500 Juan Pablo Montoya (Team Penske. Case and accident. The only pilotessa Pippa Mann (Dale Coyne Racing) crashed his car, not keep the car at the exit of turn. As it turned out, Pippa was not to blame: on the aerodynamics of the machine element has been damaged in the rear of the car.
«Quick,» leaving the track empty for a long time, but as soon as the track conditions improved, many pilots have decided to take a chance getting up in the «fast» turn — go to the track and show the time with the loss of the result of the previous attempt.
Russian pilot program SMP Racing Mikhail Aleshin (Schmidt Peterson Motorsports) shortly before «finishing fever» ended his second attempt, having shown the eighth result.
«Quick,» leaving the track empty for a long time, but as soon as the track conditions improved, many pilots have decided to take a chance getting up in the «fast» turn — go to the track and show the time with the loss of the result of the previous attempt.
Russian pilot program SMP Racing Mikhail Aleshin (Schmidt Peterson Motorsports) shortly before «finishing fever» ended his second attempt, having shown the eighth result.
Our pilot great risk at the outputs of benkingov.
On one of the laps he was so close to the fence, he almost caught it. Directed broadcasts even gave repeated where it was obvious that the distance to the wall was, perhaps, a few centimeters. That is the minimum disruption — and the car, hitting the outer fence would fly away, turning the central part of the oval. By the way, disruption of the rear axle of the turns on the outputs can be observed by several pilots.
Opponents pretty quickly dislodged from its nine contenders for pole position. The queue at the check-out was so long that it seemed likely to have Aleshin leave again almost there. Townsend Bell sent the first Hélio Castroneves (Team Penske). His team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya also tried to improve his position, but he was slower, showed only 12-th result. In the last segment of the decisive blow was struck teammate Mikhail Aleshin team James Hinchcliffe.
Literally a few seconds before the end of the qualification Aleshin went on the road and showed a magnificent seventh result, securing a place in the number of pilots who have the right to play the pole position in Sunday part of training.
Opponents pretty quickly dislodged from its nine contenders for pole position. The queue at the check-out was so long that it seemed likely to have Aleshin leave again almost there. Townsend Bell sent the first Hélio Castroneves (Team Penske). His team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya also tried to improve his position, but he was slower, showed only 12-th result. In the last segment of the decisive blow was struck teammate Mikhail Aleshin team James Hinchcliffe.
Literally a few seconds before the end of the qualification Aleshin went on the road and showed a magnificent seventh result, securing a place in the number of pilots who have the right to play the pole position in Sunday part of training.
Second day
Sunday part of training more transient and dynamic. Each pilot has made one visit to the track to pass 4 round. First, the fight for the starting point of the pilots, who on Saturday showed the speed worse than ninth. Alex Tagliani crashed his car and the result is not shown. He will start last. Surprise with the sign «minus» gave Montoya, despite the fact that the judge allowed him to «replay» qualification. When Juan Pablo took his fastest lap, the track winds blew a plastic bag, which prevented the show a good time. The pilot returned to the pit lane, and began to clean the track marshals. judges was further decided to give Montoya another chance, but he eventually will start only 17th. The best of the second part of the peloton began to Oriol Servia (Schmidt Peterson Motorsports), which will start from tenth position.
After a short break, the leaders began the competition for pole position. At stake — 100 thousand USD and 42 points for a win in the Indy 500 qualifications. The pilots went on the road in reverse order: first went the championship leader Simon Pagenaud, but further it was found out, his speed was too low even to get into the top five. He lost only Hélio Castroneves — one of the leaders in Saturday's qualification, in which case do not go.
Mikhail Aleshin started third in order and showed a good result, which eventually turned into a seventh place at the start of the race «Indy 500». In an interview on ISPN Russian pilot said he was not very pleased with the result, but squeezed out of the car all that was possible.
After a short break, the leaders began the competition for pole position. At stake — 100 thousand USD and 42 points for a win in the Indy 500 qualifications. The pilots went on the road in reverse order: first went the championship leader Simon Pagenaud, but further it was found out, his speed was too low even to get into the top five. He lost only Hélio Castroneves — one of the leaders in Saturday's qualification, in which case do not go.
Mikhail Aleshin started third in order and showed a good result, which eventually turned into a seventh place at the start of the race «Indy 500». In an interview on ISPN Russian pilot said he was not very pleased with the result, but squeezed out of the car all that was possible.
7th position before the race 500 miles long — very good. For lovers of coincidence: at Aleshin car under №7 and 7th starting position.
All pilots nine leaders rode their laps without incident. The fastest, as well as on Saturday, proved teammate Aleshin team Jays Hinchcliffe.
On the second lap, he showed the speed at 371.58 km / h, and the average (crediting) the result is 371.29 km / h. Last year, James could not take part in the race, so hit in training before the Indy 500 in a severe accident. the pilot's health was undermined, and he missed all the remaining races of the season. Very pleased with the results of the qualification was the boss and Sam Schmidt team: all three of his pilots were in the top ten.
Race «500 miles of Indianapolis» will be held on Sunday, May 29th.
Photo: Mike Finnigan, Chris Owens, Mike Young, Joe Skibinski, Facebook Mikhail Aleshin
