2016 Honda Indy Toronto

The only race on the 2016 calendar outside of the USA takes place on the streets of Toronto, Ontario.

The classic street circuit has undergone some changes since last year's race (when Josef Newgardon took the checkered flag for the second time in his career); the pit lane has been relocated from the right side of the frontstretch to the left side of turns 9, 10, and 11 (the final three corners on the circuit). This reconfiguration has also narrowed and tightened each of the final three corners. Juan Pablo Montoya and Charlie Kimball both crashed in the final turn during practice sessions on Friday.

Luca Filippi is back in the #19 car today for Dale Coyne Racing. He had driven that car from the beginning of the season through Alabama, but from the Grand Prix of Indianapolis through Iowa, it was piloted by Gabby Chaves. Filippi finished a career-best 2nd one year ago at this very circuit.

Scott Dixon won the Verizon P1 Award in the final moments of qualifying, taking the pole from Hélio Castroneves. The remainder of the Firestone Fast Six consisted of Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Sébastien Bourdais, and James Hinchcliffe (the only Canadian in the race). Just outside the Fast Six, Conor Daly will start a career-best 7th, and Iowa winner-by-domination Josef Newgarden will start from 8th.

Full qualifying results can be found here:

http://www.indycar.com/News/2016/07/07-16-Honda-Indy-Toronto-Qualifying-Results

Ok race. Penske looks like they've got a contingency plan if Pagenaud falters championship wise with Power.

My review:

As Alta said, it was an okay race. Really started out slow, but really began to heat up near the end. That caution with Newgarden crashing as pit stops were to begin really screwed Dixon and Pagenaud, as they were 1-2 at the time. Will Power making it onto pit road right before it closed won him the race, and with him winning three of the last four races, he is really beginning to look like the old Will Power once again, which might not bode well for Simon, who's lead is now just 47 points with 5 races to go.

Star of the Race: James Hinchcliffe. Had a slow start, but pit strategy got him onto the podium in his home race.

Reject of the Race: The turn 5 curbing.

Final Rating: This race was alright. I'll give it a 5.5/10.

Next up, the IndyCar Series heads to my home state and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. If only I had the money to go...

Definitely not the most exciting race ever, but decent overall. Sucks for all of Newgarden's positive momentum though.

Surprised that so much more trouble came from turn 5 than turn 11 during the race. Nice to see that everyone handled the redesigned section well.

Not a very eventful race this time around. I feel really sorry for Dixon and his team. They, in all likelihood, would have walked away with the victory if it weren't for that untimely caution, and of course there was nothing that they could have done about that.

On the other hand, it was cool to see Hinchecliffe stand upon the podium in front of the Canadian crowd (even if the aforementioned caution helped him).