Alex Palou handed Marcus Ericsson with fewer than 15 laps to go after which held on with sufficient gasoline to win his first Indianapolis 500 on Sunday.
In a race the place the primary half was hindered by a number of yellow flags, it was a yellow on the ultimate lap that secured the victory for the three-time IndyCar Sequence champion. Palou grew to become the primary Spaniard to take the Biggest Spectacle in Racing.
There have been 22 lead modifications amongst 14 drivers, with Palou’s No. 10 Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing averaging 168.883 mph. Ericsson, the 2022 Indy 500 winner from Sweden, completed 0.682 seconds again.
David Malukas adopted Ericsson in third, and Pato O’Ward of Mexico and Felix Rosenqvist of Sweden rounded out the highest 5.
Mild rain led to race officers delaying the beginning of the race for greater than half an hour, after which the race began underneath warning when Scott McLaughlin crashed out after shedding management of his automotive whereas warming up his tires on the principle straightaway.
That was considered one of three yellows that occurred within the first 20 laps. Marco Andretti’s race ended on the fourth lap (and first underneath inexperienced) after being bumped by Ryan Hunter-Reay. The contact prompted the third-generation driver to spin earlier than hitting the surface wall.
Josef Newgarden — pressured to start out thirty second and within the again row together with Penske teammate Will Energy after race officers discovered violations throughout an inspection earlier than qualifying — had the most effective automotive in practices, and he methodically moved his manner via the sector. After 50 laps, the two-time defending winner had moved as much as 14th, and he broke into the highest 10 earlier than Lap 80.
Nonetheless, his day ended on Lap 136 when he was pressured to pit after struggling a gasoline concern throughout a earlier pit cease.
Two-time champion Takuma Sato, who began second on the entrance row, led 51 laps in the course of the first half. Nonetheless, a skid into his pit led to him shifting out of the lead pack.
Pole sitter Robert Shwartzman’s day ended early. On Lap 89, the Israeli rookie collided into members of his pit crew and broken the entrance finish of his automotive.
Kyle Larson, who was vying to finish a uncommon racing double, noticed his Indy 500 finish early after crashing on Lap 91. He was capable of exit the automotive and, after being checked out, he departed Indianapolis to fly to Charlotte, the place he was scheduled to race in NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600.
–Subject Stage Media