TORONTO – Felix Rosenqvist made a sweet return to the Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tire season by he claiming his second pole of the season this morning for the series’ first of two weekend races on the streets of Toronto’s Exhibition Place.
Rosenqvist, driving the No. 14 Karlsson Svensson Project Dallara IL-15, shined in the waning moments of the session, setting the quickest lap on his 16th journey around the 1.786-mile street circuit at 1 minute, 6.0106 seconds. Rosenqvist faced a challenge from Schmidt Peterson Motorsports with Curb-Agajanian driver Santiago Urrutia, who turned the fastest lap of the session but had it nullified by rule for bringing out a red flag when he hit the Turn 11 wall with just four minutes remaining.
“I got loose,” said the Uruguayan driver. “It’s qualifying, I was pushing on the limit and I was over the limit.”
Urrutia’s shunt secured the pole position for Rosenqvist, the Belardi Auto Racing driver who sat out the last three rounds in Indy Lights to compete in the Blancpain GT Series.
“Our car has been amazing since we came here,” said Rosenqvist. “Out on the track the first time, it just felt really good and that’s just what you need to build confidence on a track like this.”
The Indy Lights race begins at 12:25 p.m. ET today and will stream live on RaceControl.IndyCar.com.
Telitz continues Pro Mazda hot streak with Toronto pole
Aaron Telitz continued Team Pelfrey’s astonishing qualifying record in the Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires championship, claiming the team’s 10th straight pole of the season to earn the first starting position for the series’ first race of the doubleheader weekend.
Telitz, the Richlake, Wis., native, swapped the point with teammate and championship leader Pato O’Ward throughout the session before laying down a lap of 1:10.7635 to take the pole. The Pro Mazda race starts at 5:20 p.m. ET (RaceControl.IndyCar.com).
Martin races to pole for USF2000 race
Anthony Martin, locked in a battle for the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda points lead with teammate Parker Thompson, earned the pole for the series’ first race of the Toronto weekend with a lap of 1:12.5694 in this morning’s qualifying session.
Martin will start up front in the Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing No. 8 Burgess BLA Mazda in the race at 11:30 a.m. ET (RaceControl.IndyCar.com). He enters the race weekend tied with Thompson, who qualified third, atop the USF2000 standings.