Simon Pagenaud ‘very confident’ after strong start to IndyCar season

Simon Pagenaud has officially begun defense of his Verizon IndyCar Series championship, and the Team Penske driver is confident after another strong start.

It’s a new IndyCar season but so far business as usual for Simon Pagenaud. The defending series champion finished as the runner-up in the season opener at St. Petersburg for the second straight year and will enter next weekend’s Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach as the incumbent race winner.

But before the green flag, he spoke to FanSided about his expectations for the new season, why he’s always loved racing in Long Beach, and the most interesting thing that came out of earning his first championship.

“I’m very confident, very happy with the result we had [at St. Pete],” Pagenaud said. “It’s always important to start strong, just because it gives you confidence. And Long Beach is my favorite street course. We won last year so hopefully, we can repeat that. It’s a great track for me and I’m very, very excited for it.”

What is it about the streets of Long Beach that has led Simon Pagenaud to never finish outside of the top 10?

“I love California. I know that’s one of the reasons,” he laughed. “But it’s just a track where there’s a way you have to drive the car, with the technicality of the track. It flows really well with my driving style, so I’m always very comfortable there and it works out.

“Also I think that luck has a little bit to do with it,” he added. “Sometimes there are tracks you get lucky at for some reason and I’ve always had good luck there.”

Pagenaud also addressed IndyCar’s switch to Performance Friction Brakes. The shift in brake suppliers caused concern for several cars, including the No. 1 Team Penske squad, during the race in Florida. So does he think teams will struggle with the new brakes like they did when IndyCar first introduced aero kits a few years earlier?

“It’s definitely different,” he said, “and definitely slowed down our weekend, and that’s why you didn’t us really get into our usual rhythm until Sunday. But I think we’ve got a good handle on it now.

“We understand better what we need to do on the temperature of the brake and how much temperature we need to make them behave properly. So we have a better handle on that and we’ll also know what we have to change on the race car to make it behave the way I want it with those brakes.

“I feel like it should be pretty straightforward,” Pagenaud added. “There will be a little bit of an adjustment in the driving but I think it’ll be pretty straightforward and we should be competitive. But I’m expecting all the Honda cars to be stronger than last year.”

A change he believes will work in his favor is the break that exists between St. Petersburg and Long Beach. When the green flag drops in California it will have been four weeks between IndyCar races thanks to the Phoenix Grand Prix being delayed in order for the city to host this year’s Final Four.

“I am happy with a little bit of break between those two races if you can help it because there’s been a few changes on the brakes,” he explained. “Also it allows me to adjust my training a little bit. I think it’s going to be beneficial … I think it’s an advantage for our team.”

Team Penske further bolstered its ranks this season with the acquisition of Josef Newgarden. That gave the organization IndyCar’s top young driver, in addition to two champions in Pagenaud and Will Power and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves. What is it like to come to work every day in a team that not only is so successful but also not short on personality?

“We’re having a good time in the truck that’s for sure,” Pagenaud told us. “When we prepare for the race or for practices and qualifying, it’s pretty fun out there.

“That’s good because you want to have a good environment like this, to want to go to work and make sure that we work as a team,” he added. “There’s a really good understanding of that and we don’t forget to have fun and that makes a big difference.”

But the biggest difference for Pagenaud is finally having reached the pinnacle of his sport. He toiled long and hard to achieve his first Verizon IndyCar Series championship last fall and now he has a new perspective as he enjoys the view from the top.

“I definitely feel more relaxed and I don’t feel as anxious as before,” he reflected. “But my desire to do well is even stronger ’cause I don’t want to lose that taste of victory. I’m very motivated and very eager to go out there and win races. I just feel a little more relaxed so I feel like [this season] could go really well but we’re going to find out all this year, and that’s what I’m looking forward to the most.”

What have been some of the most interesting things to come out of the last six months as the current IndyCar titleholder?

“I think the coolest thing was to get the championship ring which I’m wearing today,” he said. “It represents everything I’ve been working for my whole career since I was a little kid in go-karts at seven years old up until now. It represents my dream and what I wanted to accomplish. Getting that ring and having it every day as a reminder of last year and how good of a year it was.

“One of the other cool things that I did was the welcoming party with my hometown friends. It was really, really special. I got to see everybody from my childhood show up and we had a fantastic time cheering with a glass of champagne. About 2,000-plus people showed up at this big party!”

And the celebration is extending to the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

“I learned that my face is going to be on the curb in Victory Lane this year so I’m excited to see that,” Pagenaud revealed. “I think Long Beach, the way they celebrate their winner is very, very special. And for a driver, leaving something behind that’s going live for years behind you is really cool.”

Next: Marco Andretti 'focused on having more fun' in IndyCar

Simon Pagenaud defends his race win in the 2017 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, which takes place on Sunday, April 9. Tickets are still available through the TGPLB website. For the latest news throughout IndyCar, follow the Motor Sports category at FanSided here.