Pagenaud and Aleshin make it double for Schmidt Peterson in Houston

Simon Pagenaud and Mikhail Aleshin have completed a historic double for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports on the street circuit in Houston, Texas. After starting from the third and second place respectively, the abandon of Castroneves has facilitated the double. Hawksworth completed the first podium of the category that includes a Russian driver after Power abandoned with two laps to go.

The race started with all drivers using soft tires, everyone but Bourdais – who started fifth – and Charlie Kimball, who started nineteenth.

The start this time would be launched and Castroneves kept the lead, meanwhile Aleshin went down to third place being overtaken by Pagenaud. The two leaders had escaped and Aleshin defend himself from attacks by Rahal; at the moment that Huertas, the winner of the yesterday’s race, abandoned. As the laps passed Will Power was gaining ground, up to the eleventh from the eighteenth on lap seventeen when Hunter-Reay made ​​his first pit stop. Two laps later Kanaan would do the same.

The drivers were stopping in boxes but no one moved forward and continued keeping their soft tires. Dixon instead would have to abandon due to mechanical problems. Disastrous season for the champion. Bourdais began to be pressured by Power, already sixth, and Montoya. Aleshin took advantage in lap 26 and made the first pit stop, coming out just ahead of Kanaan. Two laps later did so Rahal; the move turned out well, he left the lane getting ahead of the Russian, who was forced to pit stop after breaking his front wing in the touch with Rahal. A shame for the driver of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and for the runner with the colors of the National Guard. On lap 32 and Castroneves and Pagenaud made ​​their stops.

After completing the first pit-stop, Castroneves was leading the race followed by Pagenaud, Bourdais and Power. Filippi, who returns this weekend to IndyCar, was fifth and at that time the first rookie. The first three went into battle for the first place. A first position mantained by Castroneves from the first corner of the race.

Almost reaching the middle of the race on lap 41, Muñoz left it after puncturing the right rear wheel while he was sixth. This caused the first pace car of the day. The pit lane opened three laps later and Filippi went in for the pit stop, as did Hunter-Reay who was already in his third stop. Meanwhile, most of the drivers raised their hands for the air to flow, as the weather was hot today in Houston was scorching.

The green flag came again on lap 48, returning the competition. This was used by Bourdais to overtake Will Power, who was beginning to suffer tire problems. Pagenaud exceeded Castroneves on lap 49 and Bourdais also tried overtaking the Brazilian, who would left the race after having led throughout. With Castroneves out of the race the pace car was back on track. Castroneves had to settle for two additional bonus points for leading more than half the race. The situation of the race on lap 53 was: leader Pagenaud and Bourdais second followed by Power, Montoya and Kimball.