TORONTO — Simon Pagenaud has won the pole for Sunday’s Honda Indy Toronto.
Pagenaud, the winner of the Indianapolis 500 in May, clocked a time of 58.4293 seconds on the 2.89-kilometre, 11-turn street course around Exhibition Place.
The Frenchman is having a strong week in Toronto, laying down a fast time of 59.3651 seconds to top the morning practice session.
Defending champion Scott Dixon will start in the second spot with a time of 58.5948, while Felix Rosenqvist clocked 58.6793 to start third.
Rounding out the top six: Alexander Rossi (58.9215), Josef Newgarden (59.3103), and Ed Jones (59.5353).
James Hinchcliffe of Oakville, Ont., will start 14th. Hinchcliffe has never won in Toronto, but has two third-place finishes in the past four years. He’s attempting to become the first Canadian to win at home since Toronto’s Paul Tracy stood atop the podium in 2003. Tracy also won in 1993.
A scuffle broke out between an enraged Takuma Sato and Sebastien Bourdais after the Frenchman passed him on the last lap of the morning session. Video showed Sato confronting Bourdais in his pit box, and grabbing him by the collar. The Frenchman shoved Sato away before punches were thrown. The drivers were quickly separated.
The Canadian Press