Christian Lundgaard emerged as the pole sitter for the upcoming Exhibition Place street race after delivering an impressive performance in the Fast Six session. Lundgaard clocked the fastest lap time of 1m04.1567s on the challenging 1.786-mile, 11-turn street course. The session was filled with suspense as the final positions were only decided in the closing laps. Scott McLaughlin from Team Penske and Pato O’Ward from Arrow McLaren will start behind Lundgaard in second and third place, respectively.
Palou’s Struggles Lead to a Mid-Pack Start
Despite his strong showing in practice, Alex Palou found himself in a difficult position after qualifying. Palou admitted that he failed to deliver a satisfactory lap on the softer alternate tires during the opening group session. As a result, he will start from the middle of the pack on a track notorious for its limited overtaking opportunities.
O’Ward Sets the Pace, McLaughlin Overcomes Early Spin
As the track quickly dried up, the Firestone Fast Six contenders initially began on wet tires. However, Pato O’Ward opted for alternate slicks, a strategy that was soon adopted by Will Power and Scott McLaughlin from Team Penske. O’Ward set an impressive pace of 1m07.9483s, over a second faster than Power. McLaughlin encountered a spin at Turn 8 but managed to recover and set a lap time of 1m05.6532s, temporarily claiming the top spot. Eventually, it was Lundgaard who unleashed a blistering lap of 1m04.1567s to secure pole position. McLaughlin held on to second place, while O’Ward settled for third.
The Group 2 qualifying results were reviewed extensively, resulting in a significant delay. Despite the drying track, all 12 runners in Group 2 opted to stick with wet tires. O’Ward, who made a pit stop for new wets, set the fastest time of 1m11.3448s on his final lap. Lundgaard, Rosenqvist, McLaughlin, Ericsson, and Power also advanced to the next round. Notably, Dixon, Kirkwood, Grosjean, Armstrong, Newgarden, and VeeKay failed to progress.
In Group 1, Kyle Kirkwood showcased his skills on a dry track, clocking a time of 1m00.6453s. However, rain started to fall just before the session ended, preventing other drivers from improving their positions. Helio Castroneves secured the 13th spot on the grid, while Palou, the championship leader, endured a disappointing qualifying session and will start from 15th place.
Group 2 encountered challenging conditions as the track was completely soaked. Romain Grosjean managed to set the quickest time of 1m14.0454s. The session was eventful, with Herta and Grosjean both overshooting turns and causing yellow flags. Despite the obstacles, Grosjean displayed impressive resilience and improved his time even further. Notable drivers who failed to advance were Herta, Ilott, Canapino, Blomqvist, DeFrancesco, and Ferrucci.
Notably, Alexander Rossi and Graham Rahal did not participate in the session due to unfavorable track conditions. Rahal spun and damaged his car’s nose against the wall, while Rossi experienced an electrical issue that caused his car to stall.
In summary, Lundgaard’s pole position highlights the thrilling and unpredictable nature of the Exhibition Place street race qualifying session. Palou’s struggles and the challenging track conditions added an element of perplexity to the session. The burstiness of the Fast Six session, with positions constantly changing, kept spectators on the edge of their seats.
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