Romain Grosjean in pole position in St. Petersburg

Romain Grosjean started his third IndyCar season in the best possible way on Saturday, taking pole position for the St. Petersburg Grand Prix, with the hope of securing his first race victory there on Sunday. The 36-year-old Frenchman will start on the front row just in front of his teammate at Andretti, the American Colton Herta, whom he was well ahead of with a lap of 59”553, on the urban track of this city of Florida, under strong heat. Mexican Pato O’Ward set the third fastest time at the wheel of the McLaren.

This pole position is Grosjean’s second in Indycar, two years after that achieved at the Indianapolis Grand Prix, when he was racing for Dale Coyne Racing. The former F1 driver, who escaped a serious accident in Bahrain in 2020, before trying to bounce back in IndyCar, will have to hold the lead during the 100 laps scheduled for Sunday, to hope to open his counter, he who has climbed four times on a podium, with three second places and a third in two contested seasons.

“Last year I felt like things were just not coming to me. So we worked hard and we had some good winter testing. I said to the team: guys, I think we got somethingcommented Grosjean. The other Frenchman in the running, Simon Pagenaud (Meyer Shank Racing) was not successful during this qualifying session. He made a mistake during the first phase, elimination to qualify for the second and will start from 25th place (out of 27 starters). Finally, the reigning Australian champion, Will Power (Penske) will start in tenth position, five places behind his New Zealand teammate Scott McLaughlin, winner of the GP last year.