O'Ward secures pole for first Detroit GP, Grosjean starting from third
F1 News
- GPblog.com
After an eventful qualifying session for the Indycar Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, Arrow McLaren driver Patricio O'Ward secured another pole position for his team. He will share the front row with Rossi and have Romain Grosjean following along in third. Rinus Veekay was held up while attempting a fast lap and ended up the slowest driver of the final session.
In Detroit, the IndyCar drivers used an alternative qualifying format. The grid was divided into two groups, after which each group was given ten minutes to set their fastest lap. The top six of each group then took to the track for another ten minutes to determine the top twelve. Dutchman Rinus van Kalmthout was allowed to take the track in the first group.
Former F1 drivers Romain Grosjean and Marcus Ericsson were also in that first group. The fastest time in the first group was driven by Alexander Rossi. Grosjean, Van Kalmthout, O'Ward, Pagenaud and Power also set the six fastest times in the first section and were therefore through to the final qualifying session.
Those six were joined by Josef Newgarden, Colton Herta, Ed Jones, Ryan Hunter Reay, Sebastian Bourdais and Scott Dixon. The twelve drivers were allowed another ten minutes on the track to determine the top twelve for the race.
Top twelve
During the last ten minutes, it was Patricio O'Ward who managed to make the difference. Grosjean, for whom it is the first time in Detroit, also showed his good side. He took the third spot on the grid.
So... here's how things are looking at the end of that session:
1. O'Ward2
. Rossi
3. Grosjean4
. Jones5
. Newgarden
6. Herta7
. Power8
. Hunter-Reay
9. Pagenaud10
. Bourdais
11. Dixon12
. VeeKay#IndyCar | #DetroitGP
- The Race (@wearetherace) June 12, 2021