Pigot tops first Indy 500 qualifying, Alonso misses certain race cut – IndyCar

Ed Carpenter Racing’s Spencer Pigot edged Penske’s trio of drivers to top Saturday’s qualifying session for the Indianapolis 500, as James Hinchcliffe and Fernando Alonso missed the cut.

Under the Indy 500 qualifying format, all 36 entrants are permitted a four-lap run of the 2.5-mile circuit, and then had the opportunity to improve on their time, across a seven-hour session, with the order in which the drivers run being decided by a random ballot.

Pigot was the second driver to complete a run in the optimal early conditions and produced an average speed of 230.083mph, leaving him just 0.002mph clear of 2018 winner Will Power.

Power was the only driver other to finish their qualifying effort in the 230mph range, as his team-mates Simon Pagenaud and Josef Newgarden capped a strong day for the regular Penske racers by taking third and fourth.

Harding Steinbrenner Racing’s Colton Herta had already secured a berth in the Fast Nine but he improved late on to take fifth, in front of Ed Jones.

Three-time Indy 500 polesitter Ed Carpenter, 2016 victor Alexander Rossi and Sebastien Bourdais were the final drivers to qualify for Sunday’s Fast Nine session.

In drama at the rear of the field, Hinchcliffe lost the rear end of his Schmidt Peterson Motorsport-run car through Turn 2 on his first run and careered into the wall in a hefty impact, but he was able to walk away from the wreckage uninjured.

Hinchcliffe climbed into the team’s back-up car but his subsequent efforts were insufficient and he faces the prospect of competing for the last row, 12 months after missing the cut.

Alonso and McLaren struggled for speed throughout the day, with the double Formula 1 world champion’s initial qualifying effort hampered by a cut on his right-rear tyre.

After having his practice time shortened by a crash and an electrical issue, Alonso flirted with the lower reaches of the top 30 as the day progressed.

But as the final laps were completed he ended up only 31st, with late surges from JR Hildebrand and Graham Rahal sealing Alonso’s fate.

Alonso and Hinchcliffe will return to compete for the final three spots on the grid, where they will face competition from Patricio O’Ward, Sage Karam – who brushed the wall on his first run – Max Chilton and Kyle Kaiser.

Should rain disrupt proceedings on Sunday then Bump Day will be postponed until Monday.

If the anticipated inclement weather does strike Indianapolis on Sunday then Saturday’s results will instead determine the front three rows of the grid for next weekend’s race.

Marco Andretti made a few attempts at demoting Bourdais from the Fast Nine but fell short and will front the fourth row of the grid, with positions 10-30 now locked in.

Conor Daly was 11th, ahead of three-time winner Helio Castroneves, with F1 convert Marcus Ericsson the highest-placing rookie in 13th spot, five positions in front of reigning IndyCar champion Scott Dixon.

First qualifying speeds