IndyCar | Race | Laguna Seca | Palou dominates ahead of Lundgaard and Herta - Motorsport

Spread the love

IndyCar championship leader Alex Palou took pole position and the win at Laguna Seca, view the full race report and results below. The championship leader extended his lead ahead of Arrow McLaren driver Pato O’Ward, who scored the win in Toronto.

Simpson and Rosenqvist collide on Lap 1

Alex Palou led the race at the start on new soft tyres and Colton Herta got past Pato O’Ward for P2. Notably, Herta was one of the only drivers to start on the hard tyres.

In a chaotic first lap, Prema’s Robert Shwartzman and Conor Daly went off-track, both able to re-join the race.

Then, Kyffin Simpson hit the back of Felix Rosenqvist on Lap 1, bringing out the yellow flag. Rosenqvist drove to the pits to repair his front nose. Simpson was out of the race.

The green flag is waved on Lap 6. Palou goes went on the restart, allowing Herta to close the gap. Unfortunately for the Andretti driver, Palou recovered and began build a gap.

Christian Lundgaard overtook AJ Foyt’s David Malukas for P6 on Lap 7. Graham Rahal attempted to overtake Malukas but was unsuccessful. Christian Rasmussen flew through the track on soft tyres, overtaking Rahal and Malukas for P7.

Palou pulled a four-second gap to Herta by Lap 10.

Abel collides with the barriers

The yellow flags are back out on Lap 11 as Jacob Abel drove off-track and made contact with the barriers at Turn 2. The Dale Coyne racer was out of the race. Rear brakes looked to be the cause.

Several drivers headed to the pits including Dixon, Siegel, VeeKay, Daly, Illot, Shwartzman, and Kirkwood. Palou continued to lead the race ahead of Herta and O’Ward.

Once again, the green flag is waved on Lap 14. Scott McLaughlin overtook Louis Foster and Marcus Armstrong, making his way to P10.

Palou maintained his lead, pulling away from Herta. By Lap 17, Palou ran one-second faster than every other driver on track. Clean air benefitted the Spaniard, along with Herta on hard tyres holding up O’Ward.

A flurry of pit stops

On Lap 21, Scott Dixon led the pack of drivers on the alternative strategy, those who already pit once. Malukas headed to the pits on Lap 22, the first driver on the primary strategy to pit. The AJ Foyt driver emerged in P22.

On Lap 22, McLaughlin and Rahal pit. Both drivers emerged ahead of Malukas, but the AJ Foyt overtook McLaughlin on track.

O’Ward headed to the pits from P3 on Lap 24 for another set of soft tyres. He emerged from the pits in P13. Herta wanted to pit, worried about being undercut by the Arrow McLaren driver. The team chose to leave him out.

Kirkwood hits VeeKay and receives a penalty

On Lap 25, Kirkwood hit VeeKay who spun off-track. Kirkwood received a stop-and-go penalty for colliding with VeeKay.

Palou and Herta headed to the pits. The Chip Ganassi driver opted for the hard tyres, while Herta pit onto softs. Herta got out of the pits ahead of O’Ward, emerged directly behind. Unfortunately for O’Ward, the yellow flag is brought out on Lap 27 ending the battle.

Siegel leads for the first time at IndyCar Laguna Seca race

On the race restart, Siegel led his first laps in IndyCar ahead of Palou and Dixon. Laguna Seca is Siegel’s home race, marking a special moment for the young Californian. However, Siegel had yet to run the hard tyre compound. At the same time, Lundgaard overtook teammate O’Ward for P6.

On Lap 33, Malukas, Armstrong, and Ferrucci overtook Shwartzman, who fell to P16. The other Prema driver impressed while running the same strategy as Dixon, holding onto P4.

Palou retook the lead from Siegel on Lap 37, and the Arrow McLaren driver headed to the pits for hard tyres.

Herta and Lundgaard make moves

Lundgaard overtook Ilott for P4, while Herta overtook Dixon for P2. The Arrow McLaren driver continued to make moves, overtaking Dixon for P3. Now on incredibly scrubbed tyres, Dixon headed to the pits on Lap 40.

Ilott fell under pressure from O’Ward and headed to the pits on Lap 41. The Mexican driver had clean air to chase down Lundgaard for the final podium position. Unfortunately, he made a mistake and slid wide into Turn 1, falling six seconds behind his teammate.

O’Ward attempts another undercut

On Lap 45, O’Ward headed to the pits for hard tyres from P4. He re-emerged in P17 ahead of Ilott. The Prema driver fought with O’Ward for position, with Malukas joining the fight.

Lundgaard headed to the pits on Lap 46, emerging P12 ahead of his teammate. O’Ward ran wide on Lap 48, receiving immense pressure from Ilott and Malukas from behind.

Palou and Herta enter the pits

By Lap 50, Palou led the race ahead of Herta and Newgarden, who sat 20 seconds behind. Herta maintained a five-second gap to the race leader.

On Lap 51, Newgarden pit for hard tyres from P3. Palou and Herta also entered the pits for a set of used soft tyres. Herta had a slightly slow pit stop, having an issue with the wheel nut on his front right tyre.

Palou and Herta emerged in P2 and P3, respectively. Team Penske driver Will Power took the lead of the race, but pits shortly afterwards. Lundgaard made a brave move on Herta, gaining position to P2.

Dixon is currently in P4, followed by O’Ward, Ilott, Rasmussen, Power, Newgarden, and Armstrong. By Lap 58, Armstrong overtook Newgarden for P9. Palou pulled away from Lundgaard by seven seconds, maintaining a strong race lead.

Battles in the midfield

Malukas and Siegel battled for P18, with Sting Ray Robb making an overtake on the Arrow McLaren driver for P19. Siegel ran off track, allowing Kirkwood to pass for P20.

Final pit stop window

Dixon headed to the pits on Lap 67 for his final stop. He emerged in P10. Ilott, on the same strategy as Dixon, extended to Lap 69. Unfortunately, the Prema driver had a slow pit stop due to an air jack issue. He emerged in P15.

Then, Herta and O’Ward pit on Lap 70, trying to get ahead of Ilott. The Mexican driver emerged quite far ahead of Ilott in P10, putting four seconds on the Prema driver.

Palou hit the traffic of Shwartzman and Rahal on Lap 71. He pit on Lap 72, emerging on used softs eight seconds ahead of Lundgaard and Herta. The Andretti driver ran a sticker set of soft tyres at the end, hoping to gain position on those ahead.

Herta began to catch Lundgaard for P2, who ran a used set of soft tyres. Similarly, Ilott caught up to O’Ward in P5.

Scary moment for Ericsson

Unfortunately, Ericsson ran off track and spun on Lap 76, stalling on track. It took two laps for a caution to be called, presenting a potential safety issue. Thankfully, Ericsson got his car restarted and drove to the pits.

By Lap 76, Palou led the race ahead of Lundgaard, Herta, Dixon, O’Ward, Ilott, Rasmussen, Power, Armstrong, and Newgarden.

The green flag is waved on Lap 80, with Palou extending his lead. O’Ward fought with Dixon for P4, with Ilott defending against Rasmussen for P6. Herta gained time on Lundgaard, his fresh tyres providing him with better grip.

In the midfield, Malukas made contact with Rossi, elbowing his way past to P13. Unfortunately, Siegel made contact with Foster who did not leave him space. He spun on track but continued racing, falling to P20.

Ferrucci spins off track

On Lap 84, Ferrucci spun and went off track, bringing out the yellow flag. The AJ Foyt driver was able to get his car running and continue the race.

The green flag is waved on Lap 86, with Palou continuing to lead the field ahead of Lundgaard and Herta. O’Ward went up the inside of Dixon who ran wide, overtaking the Chip Ganassi driver for P5.

Rasmussen ran off track on Lap 87, falling from P7 to P9. Herta caught up to the back of Lundgaard, but Palou contiued to drive away with the lead.

Palou dominates IndyCar race at Laguna Seca

Herta had a strong run to take P2 from Lundgaard, but was unable to make the move. Palou drove a clinical race, taking home his eighth win of the season.

O’Ward, unable to challenge for the win, finished just outside of the podium in P4. Ilott impressed as the biggest mover of Laguna Seca, matching his highest race finish with Prema at P6.