(Motorsport-Total.com) – Will Power (Penske-Chevrolet) won the farewell race of the IndyCar series on Belle Isle in Detroit with a performance worth seeing. On leaving Belle Isle after 30 years, the Australian stormed into the lead in the first third of the race from the eighth row of the grid.
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First win of the season and championship lead for Will Power (Penske-Chevrolet)
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And after 70 laps, all of which were under green, Power had his first win of the season in his pocket in 2022. It also marks Chevrolet’s 100th victory since the brand returned to IndyCar in 2012 at the Chevrolet-sponsored race. (Photos: IndyCar at Belle Isle in Detroit)
“I knew that it would be enough if I managed to keep a certain lead. That’s compensation for last year,” says Power. The Penske driver is responding to how he was about to win the 2021 Detroit Grand Prix in what was then the first of two races of the weekend. But then there was a red phase and during this phase Power’s car wouldn’t start anymore.
This time it was enough for Power to get into Victory Lane. Alexander Rossi (Andretti-Honda), who brought a three-stop strategy to perfection, came in second after a drive that was also worth seeing. Scott Dixon (Ganassi-Honda) completed the podium in third place. (Result: IndyCar on Belle Isle in Detroit)
Newgarden on Pole – Power rushes through the field
30 years after the Belle Isle was first headed for, it was now the farewell performance. For the 2023 IndyCar season, the Detroit Grand Prix returns downtown. The track layout will then be different than it was in the late 1980s and early 1990s, albeit on the same terrain as then.
In qualifying on Saturday, Josef Newgarden (Penske-Chevrolet) made himself the seventh different pole setter on the seventh race weekend of the season. He won the start by entering the first corner in front of Simon Pagenaud (Shank-Honda).
Early on, however, Newgarden was on the losing end with the soft tires (Reds). His Penske teammate Will Power, who had only started from P16, started the race on the hard tires (blacks). And unlike the Reds, they didn’t go down.
After only ten laps, Power had already moved up to fifth place. After twelve laps he was second. And on the 14th of 70 laps he overtook Newgarden to take the lead in the race.
Alexander Rossi shines with three-stop strategy
Aside from power, Alexander Rossi showed the strongest forward drive. The Andretti driver, who was announced this week as a new McLaren signing from 2023, started from P11 and pitted as early as the fourth lap to swap the soft tires for hard ones.
During his two other pit stops (lap 24 and lap 46), Rossi had fresh hard tires fitted. Regarding the tyres, Rossi had chosen the opposite strategy of Power, but made one stop. And that would almost have been enough to win.
Because Rossi crossed the finish line just one second behind Sieger Power after coming massively closer in the last few laps. Rinus VeeKay (Carpenter-Chevrolet) slid into the tire barriers at Turn 6 on the final lap. But the race ended under green.
Behind Will Power and Alexander Rossi, six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon took third place after a confident but not so conspicuous drive. Josef Newgarden, who had led the first eleven laps coming from pole, ended up fourth. Patricio O’Ward (McLaren-Chevrolet) completed the top 5.
Defending champion Alex Palou (Ganassi-Honda) was sixth ahead of Ganassi teammate and Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson in P7. Colton Herta (Andretti-Honda), Shank driver Simon Pagenaud and Felix Rosenqvist in the second McLaren Chevrolet rounded out the top 10 from the last race on Belle Isle.
Frustration for Romain Grosjean and Scott McLaughlin
Romain Grosjean (Andretti-Honda) ultimately couldn’t get past P17 with a lap down on the day after a severe qualifying crash.
Scott McLaughlin (Penske-Chevrolet) only finished P19. The reason for his deficit was a heavy braking error at the end of the first stint. The soft tires were completely gone when McLaughlin slid into the emergency exit at Turn 3. There he couldn’t get the reverse gear in for a long time. And shortly after resuming the journey, he was lapped.
Finishing in the last three places: Callum Ilott’s reserve driver Santino Ferrucci (Juncos-Chevrolet; 21st), Jimmie Johnson (Ganassi-Honda; 22nd) and Tatiana Calderon (Foyt-Chevrolet; 23rd), all three two laps each had arrears.
Three failures: Kirkwood, Castroneves, Rahal
There were three failures. Kyle Kirkwood, who will take over the Andretti cockpit from Alexander Rossi for the 2023 season, showed a strong race. Halfway through the distance, the rookie was running in the top five for AJ Foyt’s team.
On his out-lap after the second pit stop, however, Kirkwood hit the wall and ultimately had to retire with a broken rear suspension. The day before he had won the GTD class at the IMSA race at the same place together with Ben Barnicoat.
Speaking of winning, Helio Castroneves, who clinched the first win of his IndyCar career (back then in the CART series) at Belle Isle in 2000, didn’t get far this time. Having started from P4, he had to park his Shank-Honda after 20 laps due to an electrical defect.
Graham Rahal (Rahal-Honda), who won both races of the 2017 double header at Belle Isle, was long out of the game when Castroneves retired. Like Kirkwood, he was stranded with a broken rear suspension. The reason for Rahal was a wall contact in turn 2 right on the first lap.
Will Power travels to Elkhart Lake as championship leader
In the 2022 IndyCar overall standings, Will Power is now leading again after seven of 17 races. After his first win of the season, he has a three-point lead over Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson, who came to Detroit as the championship leader. Third is Patricio O’Ward, followed by Alex Palou and Josef Newgarden.
The action continues next weekend at the popular Road America natural racetrack in Elkhart Lake.