Simon Pagenaud was forced to settle for second during the second race at Detroit on Sunday after seeing Team Penske team-mate Will Power pass him after a late restart following a caution period.
The Frenchman had been at the front of the field for most of the race, but was unable to take his fourth win of the season, despite trying hard in the closing laps to attack his team-mate, ultimately losing out by less a second.
Pagenaud was happy to help give Roger Penske a 1-2 finish around the Belle Isle circuit, the home track for the team’s boss and their engine suppliers Chevrolet.
“I tell you (Will Power) made a great pass and he was very aggressive on the restart,” said Pagenaud. “I didn’t feel comfortable on cold tires – a really good car on long runs but I struggled on cold tires.
“He saw it and took his chance and that’s how you win races. At that point you’ve got to be smart and think about the big picture. Congratulations to him. There was no point in colliding and trying too hard.
“I tried at the end – we had some push-to-pass left. The HP car was really competitive all day but I’ll take second. I think it’s a really good points day for us.
“Very happy for Roger (Penske) with a 1-2 finish – they put so much effort into making this event possible, so thanks to the Penske organization and I’m really happy for the whole team.”
