Pigot leads Indy 500 qualifying

Los Angeles, May 19: Spencer Pigot posted the fastest Indianapolis 500 qualifying time on Saturday while two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso and fan favourite James Hinchcliffe will try earn starting grid positions on Sunday.

Pigot turned in a blistering average lap of 230.083 mph in his second lap on Saturday to earn the top seed after the first day of qualifying for the May 26 race. Spain’s Alonso and Canada's Hinchcliffe, however, failed to make the top 30 on the starting grid and will have to take part in in Sunday’s last row shootout to try and punch their tickets to the 33-car race.

Penske drivers Will Power, of Australia, and Frenchman Simon Pagenaud had the second and third best times of the day behind Pigot.

Under a new format announced this year, positions 10-30 on the 33-car starting grid were locked in on Saturday, the first day of qualifying for the 103rd running of the race.

Saturday’s nine fastest drivers will battle for pole in a Fast Nine Shootout on Sunday, the same day that cars outside the top 30 will decide their fates via the last row shootout — a onehour session in which the last three places on the grid will be up for grabs.

Alonso and Hinchcliffe, who survived a scary crash in practice on Saturday, will be joined by Max Chilton, Patricio O’Ward, Kyle Kaiser and Sage Karam — each getting one run Sunday for the final three positions.

Alonso hopes to become the second driver, after Britain's Graham Hill, to win the Triple Crown of motorsport. —