From IndyCar.com
Nearly seven years had passed since Sebastien Bourdais claimed his last Indy car pole.
That streak, covering 54 starts for the four-time CART champion, ended July 19 as the driver of the No. 11 KVSH Racing car earned the Verizon P1 Award for Race 1 of the Honda Indy Toronto doubleheader.
Bourdais’ final lap of 58.9479 seconds (107.179 mph) on the 1.755-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit at Exhibition Place in the 10-minute Firestone Fast Six session supplanted Will Power (59.1025) for his first pole start since Assen on Sept. 2, 2007 in the Champ Car race.
Bourdais is the 10th different Verizon Pole Award winner in the 13 Verizon IndyCar Series races, and he tied Michael Andretti for eighth all time with his 32nd pole.
Bourdais' next task is to secure his first Indy car victory since Nov. 11, 2007, at Mexico City. He won at Toronto in 2004 and was twice a podium finisher in 2013.
“It’s a bit of casino race here. Anything can happen," said Bourdais, whose next win will be his 32nd and break a tie with Dario Franchitti and Paul Tracy on the career list.
"But we keep on displaying pace and showing up at the front, so hopefully at some point it’s going to break and we’re going to make it.”
Nearly seven years had passed since Sebastien Bourdais claimed his last Indy car pole.
That streak, covering 54 starts for the four-time CART champion, ended July 19 as the driver of the No. 11 KVSH Racing car earned the Verizon P1 Award for Race 1 of the Honda Indy Toronto doubleheader.
Bourdais’ final lap of 58.9479 seconds (107.179 mph) on the 1.755-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit at Exhibition Place in the 10-minute Firestone Fast Six session supplanted Will Power (59.1025) for his first pole start since Assen on Sept. 2, 2007 in the Champ Car race.
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| Bourdais celebrates his first pole in 54 starts (Photo: Chris Jones/IndyCar.com) |
Bourdais is the 10th different Verizon Pole Award winner in the 13 Verizon IndyCar Series races, and he tied Michael Andretti for eighth all time with his 32nd pole.
Bourdais' next task is to secure his first Indy car victory since Nov. 11, 2007, at Mexico City. He won at Toronto in 2004 and was twice a podium finisher in 2013.
“It’s a bit of casino race here. Anything can happen," said Bourdais, whose next win will be his 32nd and break a tie with Dario Franchitti and Paul Tracy on the career list.
"But we keep on displaying pace and showing up at the front, so hopefully at some point it’s going to break and we’re going to make it.”