After the big disappointment he experienced last week at the Indianapolis 500, Spanish driver Álex Palou bounced back on Sunday with a victory at the Detroit Grand Prix, allowing him to extend his lead as IndyCar series leader.
Palou, who was champion of the category in 2021, celebrated his second win of 2023 on the Detroit street circuit while Mexican driver Pato O’Ward abandoned due to an accident.
The podium of the race, which was the seventh of the season, was completed by Australian Will Power and Swede Felix Rosenqvist.
Palou dominated virtually from start to finish, except for a brief lead by Power a week after his unfortunate performance in the Indianapolis 500.
Seeking the first victory for Spain in the legendary race, Palou started from pole position and held the top spot until he was bumped by Dutchman Rinus VeeKay exiting the pits on lap 97.
Although he returned to the track in a trailing position, the Chip Ganassi driver made a thrilling comeback and finished fourth.
“This motivated me for today, but I wasn’t completely frustrated. We know that the 500 Miles is very difficult to win,” Palou stated. “I’m very happy for this win.”
On the other hand, O’Ward, who suffered an accident at Indianapolis while battling for the win, also failed to finish Sunday’s race, crashing into a wall on lap 44 of 100.
The Monterey driver dropped from third to fifth place overall, surpassed by American Josef Newgarden, last week’s recent 500 Mile champion, and New Zealander Scott Dixon.
Below are the IndyCar Series standings after the Detroit Grand Prix, which was the seventh race of the 17-race schedule:
1. Álex Palou (ESP/Chip Ganassi): 273 points
2. Marcus Ericsson (SWE/Chip Ganassi): 222 points
3. Josef Newgarden (USA/Penske): 203 points
4. Scott Dixon (NZL/Chip Ganassi): 194 points
5. Pato O’Ward (MEX/McLaren): 191 points