Team Penske collects another pole
Simon Pagenaud took the pole for the IndyCar race Sunday at Exhibition Place in Toronto.
Pagenaud had a trackrecord lap of 58.9124 seconds at an average speed of 109.138 mph Saturday on the 1.786-mile street course for his first pole of the season and 10th overall.
The Frenchman, the defending series champion who won this year on the oval in Phoenix, gave Team Penske its eighth pole in 11 races this season.
“It was a really good lap, one of the best I’ve ever put together,” Pagenaud said. “Certainly, there is not much more in it, but the whole qualifying I worked on details and driving. My teammates, they are tremendous. It’s such a good atmosphere when we work together.
“Each practice we talked
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about how we manage the corners and we keep improving each other. I feel like I really extracted the best out of my car, the best out of my setup. ... It’s obviously the most satisfying thing and that is what I’m always seeking for.”
Graham Rahal was second for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, followed by Penske’s Helio Castroneves and Will Power, and Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon. Power won last year.
“Honestly, I think on used tires, it’s probably the best lap I’ve ever put together to put us P2,” Rahal said. “The Penskes looked like they were going to run away with this thing. I’m so geeked for this team. These boys have worked so hard and, man, I couldn’t be more proud of them. That was awesome.”
Hometown favorite James Hinchcliffe qualified sixth for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.
Formula One
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton took the pole position for the fifth time Saturday at the British Grand Prix, ahead of Ferrari rivals Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel in rainy conditions.
Hamilton sped around Silverstone in 1 minute, 26.6 seconds in front of his home fans.
They cheered the threetime F1 world champion at the end of a week when he faced criticism for being the only driver to snub a promotional event in London.
“I feel amazing, especially with a great crowd like this around the track,” Hamilton said. “These typical English conditions are what we grew up racing in.”