Vautier boosts title bid with win

Tristan Vautier closed right in on Indy Lights championship leader and Sam Schmidt team-mate Esteban Guerrieri by taking his third victory of the season in Trois-Rivieres in Canada.

Polesitter Vautier had to accept second place behind the flying Peter Dempsey at first, as Belardi Auto’s Irishman jumped from fifth to second away from the start, then grabbed the lead from Vautier. A gearbox problem would end Dempsey’s day after just eight of 60 laps, though.

With Dempsey out, Vautier was free to edge away from Gustavo Yacaman and win by six seconds in the only Indy Lights round that takes place away from the IndyCar calendar.

Guerrieri could only manage fourth, denied the final podium spot by Carlos Munoz, so the Argentine’s points lead is down to seven over Vautier with two rounds to go.

Title contender Sebastian Saavedra had to retire with a fuel pressure problem so is now 37 points adrift of Guerrieri.

Results – 60 laps:
 
Pos  Driver              Team             Time/Gap
  1.  Tristan Vautier     Schmidt       59m09.0503s
  2.  Gustavo Yacaman     Moore            + 6.653s
  3.  Carlos Munoz        Andretti       + 13.0633s
  4.  Esteban Guerrieri   Schmidt        + 15.5541s
  5.  Oliver Webb         Schmidt        + 37.9525s
  6.  David Ostella       Moore             + 1 lap
  7.  Jorge Goncalvez     Belardi          + 2 laps
 
Retirements:
 
     Victor Carbone      Schmidt           29 laps
      Sebastian Saavedra  AFS/Andretti      22 laps
      Juan Pablo Garcia   Jeffrey Mark      11 laps
      Peter Dempsey       Belardi            8 laps
 

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/vautier-boosts-title-bid-with-win

Mike Hawthorn Boy Hayje Willi Heeks Nick Heidfeld Theo Helfrich