Linus Lundqvist powered to a pair of podium finishes on the streets of Detroit to take over a narrow Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires championship lead…
Proving instantly back up to speed following the series’ one-month break, Lundqvist backed up his pair of victories from earlier this season with another commanding performance on the bumpy and demanding Belle Isle street track.
The Swede got proceedings off with second place in the first race of the double-header meeting, where he pressured quadruple U.S. single-seater champion Kyle Kirkwood (USA) in a captivating battle for victory, eventually finishing just half a second behind.
Lundqvist also recorded the fastest lap of the race.
For Sunday’s concluding Race 2, Lundqvist had qualified on pole – his first ever on any street track, and the third so far in his rookie Indy Lights campaign.
The reigning FR Americas champion duly maintained his lead at the start, but lost out to Kirkwood on lap two of the 30-lap race and spent the remainder trying his best to retaliate.
The race came alive in a last-gasp, one-lap shootout to the chequered flag following a late safety car restart, but the order stood across the line, handing Lundqvist a second consecutive runner-up slot.
“It has been a very strong, solid weekend with plenty of points and two second places, so I can’t complain,” says Linus Lundqvist. “That said, I am in this game to win, and especially starting from pole it hurts a little bit not to win at least one of the races here this weekend.
“Still, it was my best performance yet on a street track, so mentally as well I think it was a positive weekend. It’s always good to tick off that kind of thing, and putting it on pole in qualifying was particularly rewarding.“
The outcome in Detroit sees Lundqvist take over atop the championship standings, albeit by just a single point from Global Racing Group with HMD Motorsports team-mate David Malukas (USA), and another three from Kirkwood.
“The team has done a great job, as always, and it’s a nice bonus to come away from here leading the championship,” comments Linus Lundqvist. “It’s still a long way to go, though, so we will keep on working and certainly not rest on our laurels.”
Indy Lights will resume activity in just a few days, as the season reaches its halfway point at Road America, Wisconsin, next weekend (June 17-20).
RESULTS
Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires
Rd. 4 | Detroit (USA)
Race 1
1: Kyle Kirkwood (USA), 25 laps
2: Linus Lundqvist (SWE), +0.517s
3: Toby Sowery (GBR), +6.235s
4: Alex Peroni (AUS), +7.457s
5: David Malukas (USA), +12.073s
View complete results
Race 2
1: Kyle Kirkwood (USA), 30 laps
2: Linus Lundqvist (SWE), +1.054s
3: David Malukas (USA), +1.470s
4: Toby Sowery (GBR), +1.995s
5: Devlin DeFrancesco (CAN), +3.080s
View complete results
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires
Top 5 | After 8/20 races
1: Linus Lundqvist (SWE), 191 p.
2: David Malukas (USA), 190 p.
3: Kyle Kirkwood (USA), 187 p.
4: Toby Sowery (GBR), 146 p.
5: Devlin DeFrancesco (CAN), 130 p.
View complete standings
