Australia’s defending series champion Will Power was left fuming after rival Rinus VeeKay ran him off the track during IndyCar qualifying at the Grand Prix of Alabama.
Power and VeeKay had the run in when the latter attempted to pass on the out lap starting round two at Barber Motorsports Park on Sunday (AEST).
Last year’s pole winner, VeeKay admitted he might have violated a gentleman’s agreement in making the move before pondering “but am I a gentleman?”.
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‘But am I a gentleman?’
“No hard feelings, I guess, both ways,” the Dutchman claimed.
“I’m coming from the back. I’m the last one in line so I just want to get a good gap in the field. I did it last year and got a pole so why not pass everyone on the out lap?
“Will got a little heated, but that’s Will. That’s why he’s got a red car, right?
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“It wasn’t meant to (tick) anyone off, but I had to do something to get my place on the track and I got that third lap out of there because of that.”
Power was seeking his fifth pole at Barber but will instead start from 11th on Monday (5am AEST).
It’s Romain Grosjean’s turn to instead start up front for Andretti Autosport.
The former Formula 1 driver and Swiss-born Frenchman is trying to duplicate teammate Kyle Kirkwood’s pole-to-win performance after claiming pole position.
Grosjean emerged with his third pole and second of the season after some of the biggest names failed to make it to the final round, including points leader and reigning Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson, three-time champion Josef Newgarden and two-time winner Power.
Grosjean, who finished second to Kirkwood at Long Beach, won the pole for the opener at St Petersburg but finished 18th after colliding with New Zealand’s Scott McLaughlin.
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Now, he’ll look for his first IndyCar win on the physically challenging permanent road course.
If the 37-year-old is in a better mood at the track these days than 2022, it’s no surprise.
“I’m enjoying myself in the car, which last year was not the case,” said Grosjean, whose contract runs until the end of this season.
“Last year, I joined the team to try win races and poles and then win the championship. I was struggling with balance. I just couldn’t get (the car) to do what I wanted. That plays a big role in your personality.”
Grosjean produced a fast lap of one minute, 5.8396 seconds.
Hondas make up the front row.
Alex Palou, who won at Barber in 2021 on his way to a series championship, qualified second.
He qualified third in his first two visits to the picturesque track, finishing first and second.
This is his first front-row start since last year’s Indy 500.
“I guess it’s the closest we have to Europe and that’s where I grew up racing. That’s the reason why I love this place.” Palou said.
Defending champion Pato O’Ward was third, followed by McLaughlin, six-time series champion Scott Dixon and Christian Lundgaard.
Dixon has six runner-up finishes at Barber but is still seeking his first win at the course.
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Newgarden starts seventh and Ericsson 13th.
“I’m frustrated and annoyed, mostly at myself,” Newgarden said.
“The car was really phenomenal. There was nothing wrong with our PPG car. It’s just disappointing to not transfer.”
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No driver has come from outside the top 10 to win at Barber, though Power started ninth en route to his second straight Alabama victory in 2012.
Five of the 12 winners started on the pole, and four others opened among the top three qualifiers.
There have been eight different polesitters in the past eight years at Barber.
As usual, it could come down to different strategies of whether to take two pit stops or three.
“That’s the beauty of IndyCar,” Grosjean said.
“You never know what you’re going to get.”
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