It took a bit of bad luck that Alex Palou couldn’t overcome, but it also took a race-winning drive by Christian Lundgaard for him to capture the victory Saturday on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
A caution flag that came out near the end of a green-flag pit cycle had Palou pitting from the lead and restarting near the rear of the field. He never fully recovered, as he finished fifth behind Lundgaard, David Malukas, Graham Rahal and Josef Newgarden.
Lundgaard had eight podium finishes since joining Arrow McLaren at the start of the 2025 season, finishes that spurred him to make a daring pass on Malukas with 18 laps remaining to take the lead and motor to his second career victory.
“At the end of the day, I had nothing to lose,” Lundgaard said at his post-race news conference. “I finish second? Okay, that’s fine, but I have so much unfinished business here.
“For me, I wanted to win. I have enough second places in the past year and a half. I wanted a win. I was kind of willing to do what it took. I also knew that it was going to be respectful.”
Here are my takeaways:
1: Big Win For Lundgaard
Lundgaard put it simply after the race:
“I know the task I was hired to do, and that’s to win races,” Lundgaard said.
That’s why this one was so big, especially at a time when Palou has been so dominant.
“I’ve had the question many times, ‘When is it going to come, right?’” Lundgaard said. “We’ve come so close many times. How does it feel being on the podium when the 10 car [of Palou] retains being the man that wins?
“In some ways, I dwell to win races. I do not dwell to complete second. I do not dwell to only be within the race. I believe that is how I used to be all the time taught rising up. I do not simply compete to compete. I compete to win.”
Lundgaard admitted that he hates dropping greater than he loves successful.
“He fears dropping much more than the rest,” stated workforce principal Tony Kanaan.
2: Seeing Pink Over No Yellow
Some would say it was unhealthy luck for Palou when the warning got here out on Lap 21 for Alexander Rossi, whose automotive sat on the frontstretch for a very long time below an area yellow earlier than INDYCAR threw a full-course warning.
However Palou may have come down pit street when it was an area yellow and it appeared that INDYCAR would name for a full-course warning.
Rossi was furious and really received out of his automotive earlier than the full-course warning was thrown, which INDYCAR appeared to attempt to wait to throw in order that the pit-stop cycle could possibly be accomplished.
“The truth that it took that lengthy to throw a full-course yellow when a automotive is on the entrance straight and persons are going by 170 miles an hour additionally appears insane,” Rossi stated on the FOX telecast.
3. David Malukas Can Be Comfortable
Malukas didn’t have a lot to defend Lundgaard when Lundgaard handed him for the lead. Nonetheless trying to find his first profession victory, Malukas would take solace in second, one other stable day as he now sits third within the standings.
“We’re good pals, and it was incredible racing,” Malukas stated in his postrace information convention. “You recognize, I could possibly be just a little bit extra aggressive and push him huge, no matter, however I believe it was honest racing, and he made a correct transfer.
“At a sure level there’s additionally, I believe, some talent in racing to know once you’ve misplaced a spot.”
4. Grosjean-Armstrong Beef
Romain Grosjean approached Marcus Armstrong after the race and needed to be held again by the Meyer Shank Racing workforce. The 2 appeared to have a dialogue afterward.
Armstrong, talking to FOX Sports activities pit reporter Kevin Lee, stated he had a crew keen to again him up.
“He fancied a little bit of a fistfight, truly — a little bit of UFC, a little bit of MMA,” Armstrong stated. “It’s one thing I’m not accustomed to. I’ve a 350-pound fueler who was proper behind me.”
4 ½: What’s Subsequent
The best day in motorsports, and arguably all of sports activities, is simply two weeks away. Apply for the Indianapolis 500 begins Tuesday with qualifying subsequent Saturday and Sunday.
What does that race imply? Properly, it definitely can change the trajectory of a driver’s profession immediately.
