Sonoma – Qualifications: Power as at home / Tributes to Wilson

Will Power will start from pole position for the final race of the 2015 season at the Sonoma circuit in California. The Australian is aiming for a second IndyCar title despite being 60 points behind Montoya. There are 103 points still up for grabs. The statistics are in the Australian’s favor: this is his 5th pole position at Sonoma, and he has 3 wins from his 6 appearances.

Wilson in everyone’s mind

Tributes to Justin Wilson follow one after another. The IndyCar driver, who passed away this Monday, August 24th, following his accident at Pocono, is on everyone’s mind. Stickers in his honor are present on all the race cars. He was one of the few drivers who was universally liked in the paddock, due to his conciliatory personality and sportsmanship on the track.

Marco Andretti was at the wheel of Wilson’s No. 25 car during a drive on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Team owner Roger Penske, inducted this weekend into the Sonoma Raceway Hall of Fame, requested that a plaque be engraved in honor of the English driver.

All the testimonies highlight the great humanity of the English gentleman, always smiling. In the days leading up to the Pocono race, Wilson visited hospitalized children. His last act of valor mentioned by American media is organ donation, which saved 6 patients.

Justin was supposed to participate in the Sonoma race. The Wilson family enlisted the recently retired Oriol Servia to take the wheel of the Andretti Autosport No. 25, Justin’s car. The Catalan, a former IndyCar driver, participated in the early season of Formula E before taking on a managerial position at Dragon Racing.

Sage Karam shocked

Justin Wilson died due to a bodywork element from Sage Karam’s car. The young American driver violently went off the track on the 180th lap at Pocono, and the nose cone of the Dallara bounced on the track before striking Wilson’s helmet. Karam was admitted to the hospital for pain in his right foot and left wrist, without consequence.

The rookie is shocked by the disappearance of the Andretti Autosport driver: “I’m working with a psychologist this week. It’s hard for me but the priority is Justin’s family,” Karam indicates. “I can’t imagine what they are going through.”

« It’s the hardest situation I’ve ever been in. It’s frightening, but at night in bed, I look at the ceiling and say to myself, “What if I hadn’t skidded?” That’s the hardest part. The car didn’t move the whole race, and that’s why I don’t understand why I skidded. »

The title race

Six drivers are mathematically eligible for the title: Juan Pablo Montoya, Graham Rahal, Scott Dixon, Will Power, Helio Castroneves, and Josef Newgarden. Power and Newgarden will start from the front row. Montoya and Rahal are well positioned, in 5th and 6th places.

The start is very important on this hilly circuit. There is no long straight and drivers can lose a lot of time in traffic.