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Sources: Indy 500 winner Simon Pagenaud re-signs with Team Penske
Jim Ayello
IndyStar
INDIANAPOLIS -- To no one's surprise, Simon Pagenaud isn't going anywhere this silly season. Multiple IndyCar sources have confirmed to IndyStar that the winner of the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 recently signed a multi-year contract extension to remain at Team Penske.
Details of the deal were not disclosed.
Though he was approached by rival teams, this pact affirms Pagenaud will return to race for The Captain for at a sixth consecutive season. Pagenaud collected a championship (2016) and 10 of his 14 career IndyCar Series victories with Penske, including the 2019 Indy 500, as well as 21 of his 31 career podiums.
Pagenaud declined to comment through Team Penske, which also declined to comment.
Following months of speculation about his future earlier this season, Roger Penske all but confirmed that Pagenaud would return to the team after the Frenchman swept May, rallying to win the IndyCar Grand Prix in the rain before taking the pole and leading 116 laps at the 500.
When asked if the post-500 news conference he could guarantee Pagenaud would return to the next season, Penske responded: "What do you think? Do you want to answer that question for me? Absolutely."
"What he did this month, certainly he achieved records in his own personal life and certainly what he had expected to, and the run today, it's a history book run for me when we think about some of the races — an opportunity to be in the winner's circle, so he did a great job."
In the aftermath of his historic victory, Pagenaud became the first 500 winner to visit the White House since Sam Hornish Jr. in 2006. This week, he became the first winner in the history of the race to unveil his image on the iconic Borg-Warner Trophy on foreign soil — revealing his bust in his native land of France.
Pagenaud plans to spend the next few days in France before returning to the U.S. and re-focusing on trying to win his second career championship.
With four races remaining on the calendar, Pagenaud sits 47 points behind Penske teammate Josef Newgarden and 31 behind Andretti Autosport star Alexander Rossi.
Follow IndyStar Motorsports Insider Jim Ayello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram: @jimayello.
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