The Grand Prix of Long Beach in the IndyCar showcased an intense battle of strategies among the experienced drivers of the sport in its 40th edition. A timely yellow flag divided the field, leading strategists to quickly calculate the most effective fuel strategy. Half of the competitors chose to pit for refueling, relying on fuel conservation or the possibility of another yellow flag to complete the remaining 68 laps. The other half chose to delay their pit stops and maintain a fast pace throughout the race. As the race progressed without further yellow flags, the difference between the two strategies narrowed, with those who delayed their stops gradually catching up to the leaders.
In the final five laps, Scott Dixon emerged as the leader, skillfully conserving fuel while facing three other drivers who did not have the same concerns. Despite the frustration of those following in Dixon’s wake, he managed to hold onto his position until the checkered flag, successfully stretching his fuel to the end. Even Dixon himself was surprised by his ability to make the fuel last, marking a remarkable victory in his 20th consecutive season.
Colton Herta finished in second place, although his path to the podium was marked by controversy. Herta collided with Josef Newgarden’s car in a tight turn three laps from the end, causing Newgarden’s tires to lift off the ground and activating the anti-stall mode. Prior to the incident, Herta had been relentlessly chasing Dixon for the lead, but ended up dropping to fourth place and could not recover in the remaining time. He called for a penalty against Herta over the radio, but race control did not impose any sanctions, allowing Herta to maintain his second place position.
Alex Palou took advantage of the incident ahead of him and turned his sixth place starting position into a solid third place. Marcus Ericsson secured fifth place, while Will Power employed his own fuel-saving strategy in the #12 Team Penske Chevy to secure sixth place.
The crucial yellow flag that shaped the battle of strategies was caused by Christian Rasmussen on the 15th lap. The rookie spun his Ed Carpenter Chevy and hit the wall in Turn 4, also colliding with Jack Harvey, resulting in significant damage to Harvey’s sidepod for the rest of the race. The only other retirement was Scott McLaughlin, who was on his way to a top 10 finish until suddenly slowing down with only 15 laps remaining before heading to the pits.
In an impressive debut in IndyCar, Theo Pourchaire skillfully navigated the challenging street circuit in his Arrow McLaren Chevy, finishing in 11th place. The next race on the IndyCar calendar will take place at Barber Motorsports Park in downtown Alabama next weekend.
