By: Spencer Neff
July 15,2023
In tricky conditions, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Christian Lundgaard earned pole for Sunday’s Honda Indy Toronto, his second pole of 2023.
After earning his first career pole at the GMR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in May, the driver of the No. 45 RLLR Honda notched a best lap of 1m04.1567 (100.217 mph). Lundgaard’s previous best qualifying effort on a temporary street circuit was third last year at Nashville.
In his first and only start on the 1.785-mile, 11-turn course on Exhibition Place, he finished eighth after starting 10th.
Round 3-Fast Six
Lundgaard was the only driver in the final round above the 100 mph mark. Joining him on the front row is Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin, the best of the four Chevrolets in the final round. Rounding out the Fast Six would be Pato O’Ward, Marcus Ericsson, Felix Rosenqvist and Will Power.
Although Power has still not added to his NTT INDYCAR SERIES record of 68 poles since the 2022 finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, he does earns best start of 2023.
Round 2-Fast 12
On a drying track, O’Ward became the first Chevrolet driver to lead a session on the weekend, posting a best lap of 1m11.3448 (90.120) in the 10-minute session to determine the Fast Six competitors for the NTT P1 Award. Lundgaard, Rosenqvist, McLaughlin, Ericsson and Power would complete the final grouping.
Not advancing would be Scott Dixon, Kyle Kirkwood, Romain Grosjean, Marcus Armstrong Josef Newgarden and Rinus VeeKay. They will start seventh through 12th. Armstrong is again the fastest of the five rookies in this weekend’s field. Despite finishing 1-2 in both pre-qualifying practices, no Andretti Autosport driver made the Fast Six.
Round 1
Group 1: Results
Kirkwood (1m00.6453-106.02 mph) backed up his practice times by leading Group 1 in the opening round of qualifying. Advancing with him to Round 2 would be VeeKay, Lundgaard, Power, Dixon and McLaughlin.
Not advancing past Round 1 would be Helio Castroneves, Alex Palou, David Malukas, Jack Harvey, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Sting Ray Robb and Benjamin Pedersen. Those seven drivers will start on the inside of Rows 7-13. After Race Control deemed Malukas had impeded Dixon’s lap, he was penalized. This was done in accordance with Rule 8.3.7 (.1).
“If a Car interferes with the Qualifications attempt of another Car other than through a Red Condition: If the violation occurs during Segment One (1) or Segment Two (2), the Car’s best two (2) timed laps during that segment shall be disallowed and the Car shall not advance to the next segment.”
Palou will start 15th as he looks for a fourth consecutive victory to extend his points lead.
Group 2: Results
Andretti Autosport would be atop the charts in the second group of the opening round despite a steady downpour wreaking havoc on the field. Grosjean led the way (1m14.0454-86.833 mph) in the second 10-minute session.
Also moving onto the second round was Ericsson, Newgarden, Rosenqvist, O’Ward and Armstrong.
Failing to advance included Colton Herta, who was quickest in Saturday morning’s practice and had won pole in the previous two races, as well as Callum Ilott, Agustin Canapino, Tom Blomqvist, Devlin DeFrancesco, Santino Ferrucci, Alexander Rossi and Graham Rahal. Rahal will start 27th, with the previous six driver occupying the outside of Rows 7-13.
Canapino, Herta, Grosjean and Rahal were all penalized (Rule 8.3.7.3)
“If a Car causes a Yellow Condition that requires another Car to comply with Rule 7.1.3.2, the Car’s best-timed lap to that point during that Qualifications segment shall be disallowed, regardless of whether the other Car complied with Rule 7.1.3.2. If the Car does not have a timed lap recorded when causing the Yellow Condition, a Black Flag drive-through penalty will be assessed once the lap on which the Yellow Condition occurred has been completed.”
Rule 7.1.3.2-All Drivers shall demonstrate caution as defined by the criteria set forth in Rule 7.2.2.1. (a) & (b) and be prepared to stop. Overtaking is not permitted between the first Yellow Condition and the subsequent Green Condition. Any Driver passing through a Local Yellow Condition in Practice or Qualifying will have that lap time invalidated
Here’s a look at Sunday’s on-track schedule (all times are track local-EDT). Stay with IndyCar1909 for the latest on the Honda Indy Toronto.
Up Next
Sunday, July 16
10:15-10:45 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Final Practice, Peacock/TSN+
1:30 p.m. – Peacock/TSN on air
1:53 p.m. – Honda Indy Toronto “Drivers, start your engines”
2 p.m. – Honda Indy Toronto (85 laps, 151.81 miles), Peacock/TSN (Live).
Header Image By Chris Owens/INDYCAR
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