Lundgaard on pole in Toronto in the IndyCar. Grosjean, 9

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In a qualifying session full of surprises and mixed conditions, Christian Lundgaard set the last fastest lap, taking pole in Canada in the Indycar Series at the Greater Toronto Race on Saturday, July 15th.

Lundgaard, 21 years old – Born July 23, 2001 in Hedensted, Denmark – Train in Europe in F3 and F2 – Member of the Renault Sports Academy branch – before, like many due to not driving in F1, to move to the USA at the start of 2022 and embark on the US Single Seat Indycar Series Championship

This Saturday, he signed his second pole of the season and his young career in the Indycar Series with time. 1 minute, 04.1567 seconds Dallara drives his car Honda No. 45, single-seater aligned by Team Bobby Rahal, RLL (Rahal Letterman Lanegan Racing).

Lundgaard’s other pole – It’s the first He won it at the GMR Grand Prix in May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

His pole proved how RLL’s focus on improving his pace on makeshift street circuits like the 11-turn track and 1.786-mile run around Exhibition Place in Toronto is paying off. The excellent performance of the RLL professional who engages in three voitures, whose qualifications are within one season on an urban circuit, is equal to the 11th place in Lundgaard at the Grand Prix d’ouverture of the season, in Floride in Saint-Petersburg, début Mars.

Naturally excited, he was assured of that pole at the end of the Fast Six that pitted him against New Zealander Scott McLaughlin, Mexico’s Pato Oward, Swedes Marcus Ericsson, Felix Rosenqvist and Australia’s Will Bauer, or six foreign and non-American pilots. , in order behind! Evidence of the international enthusiasm and growing popularity of the Indycar Series!

“I’m used, at least when I was racing karts, to be fast in the rain.”

Pullman continued and noted:

“I’ve only been in the rain once in this car, which was the Indy GP last year, and we weren’t competitive. The car was there today really well. I can’t thank this RLL team enough. I know the track was wet, And the driving is tough out there, but looking at where we were on the street circuits earlier this year and last year, we’ve made tremendous progress.

Scott McLaughlin, his runner-up, Team Penske pilot, explained:

“Overall, it was a great day for us. We start second, which is another front row start at an urban circuit. I really love Toronto. Really happy with these guys and my Dallara Chevrolet singles. The car was really good. I think we’re fine for a wet race.” It’s something I’ve always enjoyed, driving on wet tracks like the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

And the third, Pato Oward, who drives an Arrow McLaren, said:

It was a tough session. She had me keep some on my toes at every turn. It was obviously a dry racetrack, and it just kept getting better. I felt good about my Chevrolet McLaren N°5 because it was about being confident in it and attacking some corners not really knowing what was in store for you. We kept pushing, and this is a good start for the team tomorrow from the second row. It is a great online site to fight for the podium and victory. »

Then another New Zealand pilot, Chip Ganassi’s Scott Dixon, followed Kyle Kirkwood – Yankee’s first and only top ten finisher He was followed by Frenchman Romain Grosjean of Andretti Autosport and Marcus Armstrong, the third New Zealander to drive at Indy.

Finally, let’s specify that Briton Tom Blomqvist – Meyer Schunk is an IMSA endurance driver in the US and recent winner of Mosport in Canada Who replaced Frenchman Simon Pagenaud? which he won at the 24 Hours of Daytona in January – In MSR, he only places twenty times faster, behind the driver of the other team, Brazilian Helio Castroneves

Peter Griswold

Images: INDYCAR – TEAMS