After one year away, Torontos Defrancesco Homeetown Hope takes Honda Indy.

Toronto – A year from the IndyCar series gave Torontos Devlin Defrancesco to reflect on and grow both as a driver and as a person. Now the 25-year-old is literally back in the driver's seat and will be behind the steering wheel in his hometown.

Defrancesco is the only Canadian in the field at the Ontario Honda dealers Indy Toronto in Ontario and drives in sports car for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing after a season. Although Defrancesco was disappointed by Andretti Steinbrenner AutoSport at the end of 2023, he said that it was ultimately the best.

“I think it obviously didn't feel so good in the long run, but I think it was good for me,” Defrancesco said recently in a telephone interview. “We showed promise and wherever we went this year we had a strong pace. We have to concentrate on it.

“This result will come. The building of this team. The dynamics are positive.”

Defrancesco is on the list of IndyCar points at 115 at the race on Sunday in downtown Toronto. His best end this year was the 11th place at the famous Indianapolis 500, a race that he led 17 rounds after starting 16th place on the net.

But in his hometown to drive on a course in which he will be present some of his most valued memories as a fan and driver with his family and friends will be a different experience.

“My two grandmothers still live in Toronto, my aunt, my cousins. So, I'm looking forward to connecting with the family,” said Defrancesco. “There are many of them who will come to the race to watch them.

“To have your support personally. I think it is important and beautiful, just like all home fans. The only Canadian on the net is quite worthwhile, so I'm looking forward to it.”

Torontos Paul Tracy is the only Canadian who has won the race since it was founded in 1986 and claimed the checkered flag in 1993 and 2003. Road traffic winds through the exhibition location and along the Lake Shore Boulevard, the southern edge of the exhibition center, and challenges the drivers with its mixed and unpopular streets.

Christian Lundgaard in Denmark was the champion in 2023, but at a press conference on Thursday that his victory was unexpected. He said that the real happiness came when his team could take advantage of strong rainfall this year.

“I don't necessarily think we had a pure pace to put the car on the pole without unpleasant weather, and we did the work on Saturday and got the poles under very difficult conditions,” said Lundgaard and noticed that the weather forecast predicts similar conditions this week.

“I think this is just a recipe to shake the field at the end of the day. If we have qualifying, in which the weather can be difficult, you can have cars at the front that may not be there, and vice versa.”

Colton Herta from the United States is the incumbent champion, and he agreed to Lundgaard that the acquisition of pole position in qualifying on Saturday was the key to his success.

“Starting on the pole is a great help here,” said Herta. “If you are this second car, it is difficult to overtake the leader. I think further back, it will be easier.

But starting on the poles and able to control the field, your life only makes your life much easier. It's a hard race. There are many places where yellow can come out and open the field. “

The whole weekend there are a total of nine races, from five series and the representation of different car classes. Toronto's Mac Clark, which will drive on Saturday and Sunday in the two USF Pro 2000 races, said he loved the challenge of driving in his hometown.

“Every driver who says that he does not feel any pressure in his home race is just lying,” said Clark. “It is a lot to be at home in front of friends, family, sponsors, supporters, but at the same time you have to hug it.

“I'm looking forward to it and I think I'll try to eat the energy of everyone around me this week.”

This report by Canadian Press was first published on July 17, 2025.