Home Road to IndyIndy Nxt Piquet on pole for Indy Lights debut in Toronto

Piquet on pole for Indy Lights debut in Toronto

by Valentin Khorounzhiy
Photo: Andersen Promotions

Photo: Andersen Promotions

Formula E points leader Nelson Piquet Jr will start his first race in Indy Lights from pole position, having topped qualifying on the streets of Toronto.

Piquet, subbing for Le Mans-bound Max Chilton at Carlin, narrowly beat Road to Indy stars RC Enerson and Spencer Pigot to claim pole.

After a chaotic start to the session which saw Juan Piedrahita break his front wing, Piquet spin and points leader Jack Harvey catch a sideways slide, Pigot settled in as the session leader.

And he seemed poised to take pole until the final minute, when Enerson raised the benchmark.

However, Piquet managed to start a flying lap right before the checkered flag and managed to beat both drivers by around two tenths.

Pigot looked set to improve as well, but ended up making contact with the wall, albeit picked up no damage and ended up just narrowly short of his own best time. He settled for third behind Enerson.

Harvey was fourth, ahead of Felix Serralles and Piquet’s teammate Ed Jones.

Andretti’s Shelby Blackstock recorded his best qualifying effort of the season in seventh, ahead of Piedrahita, Kyle Kaiser, Scott Anderson and Ethan Ringel.

Qualifying results
Pos. Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Nelson Piquet Jr Carlin 1:04.419 0.000 20
2 RC Enerson Schmidt Peterson Motorsports 1:04.592 0.173 23
3 Spencer Pigot Juncos Racing 1:04.636 0.217 22
4 Jack Harvey Schmidt Peterson Motorsports 1:04.932 0.513 20
5 Felix Serralles Belardi Auto Racing 1:05.254 0.834 20
6 Ed Jones Carlin 1:05.272 0.852 18
7 Shelby Blackstock Andretti Autosport 1:05.300 0.881 23
8 Juan Piedrahita Belardi Auto Racing 1:05.468 1.049 17
9 Kyle Kaiser Juncos Racing 1:05.920 1.500 20
10 Scott Anderson Schmidt Peterson Motorsports 1:06.015 1.596 20
11 Ethan Ringel Schmidt Peterson Motorsports 1:07.038 2.619 20