Dario Franchitti Takes Victory In Historic Indianapolis 500

Dario Franchitti has stormed to his third Indianapolis 500 victory, at the 96th running of the legendary event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This was the first oval of the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series, and the first since Dan Wheldon’s tragic death at Las Vegas last year. Franchitti’s team-mate Scott Dixon came home 2nd, with Tony Kanaan 3rd in an eventful and incident filled 200-lap race.

Ryan Briscoe had pole-position for the race, and when the green flag flew at the start James Hinchcliffe shot into the lead on the opening lap. In traditional oval racing style, the lead changed hands four times in the first 7 laps, before the first caution was brought out when rookie Bryan Clauson spun on lap 14. At the back of the pack, the two Lotus drivers’ of Simona de Silvestro and Jean Alesi were forced to retire after failing to meet the 105% rule.

As the field slowed down behind the safety car, the majority of the drivers’ peeled off into the pit-lane to complete their first stops. Dario Franchitti suffered a disastrous stop, as the Scot was tipped into a spin within the pits by E.J. Viso. On lap 19 the race was resumed, as many of the drivers suffered a slow restart whereas at the front Briscoe was in the lead.

The race ran relatively incident free for the next 60 laps, which forced many drivers’ to complete green flag pits-stops. The first to pit was Hinchcliffe, before new race leader Marco Andretti took to pit road. As the rest of the front runners made their pit-stops, Tagliani, Dixon and Kimball all lead before Andretti returned to the front.

Mike Conway suffered a torrid stop, as he locked up heading into his pit box and subsequently hit several mechanics. Due to this he was issued a drive-through penalty, however the Brit was unable to take that penalty as he was involved in a scary airborne incident with Will Power’s Penske. Conway lost control of his car on track and spun, before Power collided into the spinning wreck and tipped Conway into a fearsome airborne crash. Luckily both were unscathed after the incident, as the safety car controlled the field for the next 10 laps.

The race was restarted for only 2 more laps, before Ana Beatriz caused the third caution of the day. She spun her car, and suffered light damage however she was able to rejoin the race several laps behind the leader. Whilst under the caution, Andretti and Hinchcliffe opted to pit.

As the race was restarted, Scott Dixon lead at the front. However several laps later both Dixon and Franchitti pitted thus handing the lead down to Takuma Sato, who became the first Japanese driver to lead the Indy 500 since Toranosuke Takagi in 2003. Another caution was caused only moments after these green flag stops, as Sebastien Saavedra slowed down on the slip road due to mechanical issues. This therefore enabled the majority of the field to pit.

Upon the restart, Dario Franchitti miraculously lead at the front after carving his way through the pack after his previous pit-lane spin. Both he and his team-mate Dixon happily jostled for the lead several times, before the fifth caution was caused as Josef Newgarden pulled to the side of the track to retire. Once again the majority of the field pitted under caution, with Dixon leading on the restart.

As the race once again restarted, the two Ganassi’s of Dixon and Franchitti resumed battling for the lead, before the Kiwi made Indy 500 history by taking a record breaking 30th lead change throughout the race. With many drivers’ concerned about fuel consumption, their fears were abolished when Ed Carpenter caused yet another caution thus enabling the leaders to conserve fuel.

With only 20 laps remaining, it was set to be a straight fight for the win as Kanaan amazingly came from 6th to the lead on the restart before yet another caution as Andretti crashed on lap 187. As the debris was cleared, tension was mounting as a 6-lap shootout began on lap 194. Franchitti and Dixon once again swapped positions at the top, before Sato stormed to 2nd as the white flag emerged to signify the final lap. Heading to the first corner, and disaster struck for the Japanese driver as he tried to pass Dario for the lead and spun in the wall.

In utter confusion and thrilling excitement, Dario Franchitti won by default as the caution flag came out. This is Dario Franchitti’s third Indy 500 win, and his first of the 2012 IndyCar Series season.

Results - 200 laps:

Pos Driver Team/Car Gap
 1.  Dario Franchitti     Ganassi DW12-Honda
 2.  Scott Dixon          Ganassi DW12-Honda            + 0.0295s
 3.  Tony Kanaan          KV DW12-Chevy                 + 0.0677s
 4.  Oriol Servia         Panther/DRR DW12-Chevy        + 2.9166s
 5.  Ryan Briscoe         Penske DW12-Chevy             + 3.6721s
 6.  James Hinchcliffe    Andretti DW12-Chevy           + 4.0962s
 7.  Justin Wilson        Dale Coyne DW12-Honda         + 4.2430s
 8.  Charlie Kimball      Ganassi DW12-Honda            + 4.6056s
 9.  Townsend Bell        Schmidt DW12-Honda            + 5.6168s
10.  Helio Castroneves    Penske DW12-Chevy             + 7.6352s
11.  Rubens Barrichello   KV DW12-Chevy                 + 7.9240s
12.  Alex Tagliani        Herta DW12-Honda              + 8.2543s
13.  Graham Rahal         Ganassi DW12-Honda            + 8.7539s
14.  JR Hildebrand        Panther DW12-Chevy            + 11.3423s
15.  James Jakes          Dale Coyne DW12-Honda         + 13.4494s
16.  Simon Pagenaud       Schmidt DW12-Honda            + 14.1382s
17.  Takuma Sato          Rahal DW12-Honda              + 1 lap
18.  EJ Viso              KV DW12-Chevy                 + 1 lap
19.  Michel Jourdain Jr   Rahal DW12-Honda              + 1 lap
20.  Sebastien Bourdais   Dragon DW12-Chevy             + 1 lap
21.  Ed Carpenter         Carpenter DW12-Chevy          + 1 lap
22.  Katherine Legge      Dragon DW12-Chevy             + 1 lap
23.  Ana Beatriz          Andretti/Conquest DW12-Chevy  + 10 laps

Retirements:

     Marco Andretti       Andretti DW12-Chevy           187 laps
     Josef Newgarden      Fisher DW12-Honda             161 laps
     Sebastian Saavedra   AFS/Andretti DW12-Chevy       143 laps
     Ryan Hunter-Reay     Andretti DW12-Chevy           123 laps
     Will Power           Penske DW12-Chevy             79 laps
     Mike Conway          Foyt DW12-Honda               78 laps
     Bryan Clauson        Fisher DW12-Chevy             46 laps
     Wade Cunningham      Foyt DW12-Honda               42 laps
     Jean Alesi           Fan Force DW12-Lotus          10 laps
     Simona de Silvestro  HVM DW12-Lotus                9 laps

Picture Copyright © LAT Photographic 

Sergio Perez Takes 5-Place Grid Penalty For Gearbox Change

After a torrid qualifying session yesterday, Mexican driver Sergio Perez will have to take a 5-place grid penalty for todays race due to a gearbox change, after he crashed out of Q1 through the swimming pool section. The Sauber was set to start from the back of the grid regardless, however this penalty will undoubtedly rub salt into wounds after qualifying.

Prior to qualifying yesterday, Pastor Maldonado was issued a 10-place grid penalty for causing an unsporting incident with Sergio Perez, which demoted the Venezuelan from 9th to 19th on the grid. However, after qualifying had ended Williams confirmed that they would have to change Maldonado’s gearbox for the race, which would impose a further 5-place grid penalty upon their driver. This eventuality means Maldonado will start 24th and last for the race, with Sergio Perez alongside him in 23rd.

With passing notoriously difficult around the streets of the Principality, both Pastor Maldonado and Sergio Perez will have a tough afternoon keeping their cars undamaged as well as carving their way through the field. Both drivers’ have raced in GP2 around Monte-Carlo, and both have won in GP2 at Monaco. They will undoubtedly have to call upon all their expertise to have a clean opening lap, as they battle amongst the HRT’s, Marussia’s and Caterham’s at the back of the field.

Picture Copyright © Sauber Motorsport AG

Mitch Evans Takes Victory In Opening GP3 Feature Race

Kiwi Mitch Evans took victory in the opening feature race of the 2012 GP3 Series earlier today, after a highly exciting start to the new season. Marlon Stockinger followed Evans home in 2nd, with Aaro Vainio in 3rd. This was Evans’ second ever victory in the Series, and MW Arden’s third.

The race was run in glorious sunshine and balmy conditions, and as the lights went out the Lotus GP of Daniel Abt shot off the line and stormed into the lead heading down into turn 1. Further behind there was carnage as rookies’ Alice Powell and Ethan Ringel came together and subsequently retired from the race after only two corners.

With some still marveling over the superlative getaway from Daniel Abt, the secret to his success was quickly unveiled when he was penalized for jumping the start along with Antonio Felix da Costa and Antonio Spavone. As Abt and Spavone pitted for their penalties, da Costa elected to stay out for a further lap, with Abt and da Costa eventually finishing 13th and 14th respectively.

This sudden change of order saw Mitch Evans rise to the top, with Czech driver Marlon Stockinger close behind in 2nd. The safety car was then deployed, bunching the pack up as Kevin Ceccon’s dismal weekend continued as the Ocean Racing Technology car stopped in a dangerous position on the apex of turn 9. 

On the restart, Mitch Evans succeeded in carrying out an extremely mature getaway. The Kiwi then began to slowly open up a gap to the Status Grand Prix car of Stockinger, whereas further back Vainio and Niederhauser were locked in a battle for the final podium position. However, the Finnish driver was able to fend off Niederhauser, and successfully finish 3rd behind Stockinger and Mitch Evans. The MW Arden driver now heads into tomorrow’s sprint race as the Championship leader, after being regarded as the Championship favorite throughout the pre-season.

With GP3 also reversing the top eight just like it’s sister Series GP2, rookie Robert Visoiu will start on pole for tomorrow morning’s sprint race alongside fellow rookie Tio Ellinas. 

Results - 16 laps:

Pos Driver Team Time/Gap
 1.  Mitch Evans             MW Arden   28m38.738s
 2.  Marlon Stockinger       Status       + 2.609s
 3.  Aaro Vainio             Lotus        + 4.594s
 4.  Patric Niederhauser     Jenzer       + 5.071s
 5.  Matias Laine            MW Arden     + 6.284s
 6.  Conor Daly              Lotus        + 6.941s
 7.  Tio Ellinas             Manor        + 7.419s
 8.  Robert Visoiu           Jenzer      + 10.102s
 9.  David Fumanelli         MW Arden    + 11.046s
10.  Alex Brundle            Carlin      + 11.291s
11.  Dmitry Suranovich       Manor       + 15.105s
12.  Tamas Pal Kiss          Atech CRS   + 15.752s
13.  Daniel Abt              Lotus       + 16.231s
14.  Antonio Felix da Costa  Carlin      + 16.577s
15.  Robert Cregan           Ocean       + 17.132s
16.  Fabiano Machado         Manor       + 17.775s
17.  Antonio Spavone         Trident     + 18.284s
18.  Kotaro Sakurai          Status      + 19.087s
19.  Jakub Klasterka         Jenzer      + 19.626s
20.  Carmen Jorda            Ocean       + 22.224s
21.  John Wartique           Atech CRS   + 23.070s
22.  Vicky Piria             Trident     + 32.897s
23.  William Buller          Carlin      + 46.346s

Retirements:

     Kevin Ceccon            Ocean          7 laps
     Ethan Ringel            Atech CRS      0 laps
     Alice Powell            Status         0 laps

Picture Copyright © Daniel Kalisz/GP3 Series Media Service