Louisiana GP – Race: Hinchcliffe winner of the lottery

A lucky star was needed to shine during the second IndyCar race of the season, the first in New Orleans. After qualifying was interrupted due to a storm and grid positions awarded based on championship standings, drivers vying for the win were caught off guard by the repeated yellow flags.

A cautious start

The race starts on a very wet track, following stormy weather conditions. Tony Kanaan, who started 3rd, quickly loses 3 places after going through the grass while trying to overtake Will Power. The beginning of the race is relatively calm and the track begins to dry. The rest of the track remains very wet. The circuit is built on former marshlands, and water lingers off the racing line and in the runoff areas.

Quickly, most of the drivers swap their wet tires for soft slicks, but the track is very treacherous. Tony Kanaan makes a mistake and falls back in the standings. Gabby Chaves also veers into the wet grass and struggles to get back onto the tarmac. He becomes stuck while rejoining the track, prompting the first Safety Car to appear on lap 16.

The Elimination Race

This is followed by a succession of incidents and yellow flags, with the Safety Car entering the track. During the first restart, Jack Hawksworth hits a tire wall while avoiding James Jakes, who spun out.

During the second restart, Stefano Coletti lost control of his Dallara Chevrolet on the straight. His car went aquaplaning on a puddle, and the Monegasque hit the safety rails violently. His rear wing was in pieces, and the chassis was too damaged for the rookie to continue the race.

On the third restart, rookie Sage Karam, driving for Ganassi Racing, finds himself stuck in a gravel trap. The race is neutralized once more to allow the track marshals to safely remove the American’s car. Most of the leaders pit on the 33rd lap while James Hinchcliffe’s strategist decides to keep the Schmidt Peterson Motorsport on track.

Two laps after the restart, Karam makes another mistake and once again brings out the safety car.

During the last green flag, a spectacular accident involved Simon Pagenaud, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and Sébastien Bourdais, bringing out the Safety Car until the end of the race. The imposed limit of 1 hour and 45 minutes thus corresponded to 47 laps of the Grand Prix of Louisiana, 26 of which were under the safety car.

Dracone critiqué

The novice Francesco Dracone had until now the image of a low-performing but discreet driver. His behavior on the NOLA track significantly tarnished his image. He was involved in an accident with Helio Castroneves while the latter was attempting to overtake him to lap him.

Later in the race, he collided with one of his mechanics while leaving his pit stop. The Italian skidded on acceleration and hit a wheel-change attendant. The latter was treated for a cut on a leg. Dracone will retire following this incident.

The Unlucky Ones Win

James Hinchcliffe wins his first IndyCar race since 2013. The Canadian started from 16th place due to the cancellation of qualifications. Helio Castroneves, involved in the collision with Dracone, finishes 2nd. James Jakes, who spun out on the 20th lap, takes 3rd place ahead of Simona de Silvestro. Juan Pablo Montoya, who led at the beginning of the race, minimizes the damage with points for 5th place. The Colombian remains at the top of the championship ahead of Castroneves.

The official standings of the Louisiana Grand Prix: IndyCar NOLA Results

Strike

The incident involving the two Frenchmen and the 2012 champion has sparked controversy. Hunter-Reay claims he had no room to his left to let Pagenaud pass on his right, while the latter complains of dangerous behavior, forcing him off the track and making his car uncontrollable. Bourdais, a victim of this scuffle, received a violent impact on the side of his car, at head height. All three drivers escaped without injury.

Everyone will be able to get an idea of the responsibilities for the accident from the image.

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