In a recent event, Alex Palou once again demonstrated his ability to secure victory with apparent ease. This special race served as an experimental platform for the NTT IndyCar Series, introducing new regulations and offering a substantial cash prize for the 27 drivers participating in the series. The race day format on Sunday consisted of two short races followed by a final race of 12 cars and 20 laps for the prize purse.
The first short race began with an exciting start, witnessing cars spinning off into the gravel before even reaching the first corner. Scott Dixon seemed distracted by Colton Herta next to him on the starting line, resulting in a misjudgment of the braking zone at Turn 1. Unfortunately, Romain Grosjean paid the price for this miscalculated start by spinning wildly at the first corner. In the process, he collided with Rinus VeeKay, eliminating both drivers from the competition despite their initial positions on the front row. Dixon received a penalty for his mistake and was effectively eliminated from the final race, as only the top six advanced. Felix Rosenqvist maintained the lead throughout the short race, managing to fend off Scott McLaughlin. Josef Newgarden, Christian Lundgaard, Agustin Canapino, and Colton Herta also secured spots in the final race.
The second short race presented a significantly different scenario compared to the first. It involved an intense and clean race, with Callum Ilott, Pato O’Ward, and Alexander Rossi, all teammates, fighting each other to secure positions on a track with few overtaking opportunities. In the end, Rossi was the only driver among the three to advance to the final race. He found himself behind three Ganassi drivers and two RLL drivers. However, it was Alex Palou who dominated the field, crossing the finish line with over five seconds advantage over his competitors. Marcus Armstrong secured second place, being the only one able to keep visual contact with his teammate in front. Graham Rahal, Linus Lundqvist, and Pietro Fittipaldi secured the third, fourth, and fifth positions, respectively, just ahead of Rossi.
The main event consisted of two 10-lap races, totaling 20 laps. Teams were allowed to refuel their cars during the break, but tire changes were prohibited. This detail resulted in a less exciting first half of the race, as drivers preserved their tires to maximize performance in the second half. Alex Palou quickly took the lead and maintained a comfortable three-second advantage, without being challenged by any competitor. Even Colton Herta, at the back of the pack, was lapping ten seconds slower than his potential pace. Fortunately, the second half of the race provided more excitement, with the incentive of a substantial prize motivating drivers to take more risks as the laps decreased. Unfortunately, Graham Rahal was unable to participate in the second part of the main event due to a stuck throttle, ending up in 12th place.
As the green flags were waved to start the second half of the event, the level of excitement increased from the first corner. Alexander Rossi and Josef Newgarden engaged in a side-by-side battle, resulting in both drivers being pushed off the track and losing some positions. This incident allowed Colton Herta to capitalize and overtake them. Herta’s newer tires, which he had carefully preserved earlier, allowed him to make several overtakes during the race. He ended up finishing in fourth place, but did not have the pace to challenge the leaders. Alex Palou, in particular, showed exceptional skills and left the rest of the field behind. He crossed the finish line with over five seconds advantage over his competitors, using his Push to Pass sparingly. Palou’s excellent performance earned him a substantial prize of $500,000. In a lighthearted comment, the Spaniard humorously mentioned his intention to use the money for diapers and pajamas for his newborn. Scott McLaughlin secured second place, winning $350,000, while Felix Rosenqvist finished third and received a prize of $250,000. Marcus Armstrong finished in fifth place, receiving $50,000 for his efforts. The other participants received a consolation prize of $23,000 at the end of this weekend in cash.
After this event, drivers and teams will enjoy a few weeks of rest before returning to action in the Long Beach Grand Prix races on April 21.
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