Alex Palou dominates strategy thriller to win the GMR Grand Prix at the IMS Road Course

A masterclass from Alex Palou and Chip Ganassi Racing who win a strategy thrilled GMR Grand Prix at the IMS road course. It’s the 26-year-old’s first win of the 2023 season, fending off challenges from pole man Christian Lundgaard and a fast-charging Pato O’Ward.

Palou led from lap 65 and checked out at the front in his American Legion Honda winning the race by 16.8 from Arrow McLaren duo Pato O’Ward in 2nd place and Alexander Rossi 3rd scoring his best result this season and getting back on track from difficult results in Texas and Long Beach. Pole man Lundgaard slumped to 4th after a tough call with the strategy, choosing to go with more stints on the alternate red tire which left him on the back foot throughout the race compared to the top 3.

The race itself was a huge strategy headache with teams having differing opinions on whether it would be a primary or alternate race, it set the 85-lap race up for a scintillating affair keeping us guessing during all 3 stops. Teams also had to be careful when it came to cautions and needed to time their strategy and stops to perfection and not take unnecessary risks to find themselves caught out under a safety car. However in the end, there was only a single caution on lap 2 between the two Dale Coyne Racing teammates David Malukas and Sting Ray Robb coming together into the left-hander of turn 7.

Those on the primary strategies proved that it was the way to go after the 2nd round of stops on lap 42 with Lundgaard choosing reds and coming out behind Palou a lap later when he came in for a set of primaries. From then the win was out of the question for Lundgaard, dropping back massively after that round of stops with the alternate red tires hitting the cliff early and therefore not being able to be driven at the same pace as Palou to keep with the Spaniard.

From then on Palou went unchallenged and the 2021 series champion set about the business of seeing through the rest of the rest. He led 52 of the 85 laps, a total masterclass from Alex Palou who was quoted saying “We honestly knew we had a fast car since Practice One yesterday, the car has been amazing all weekend. Once we knew we were starting on reds (Alternate tires), I think we knew we were going to fight for the win” he followed up by congratulating his team saying “Amazing work by these guys. I just had to execute.” Following on from Palou’s comments it was a great job from Chip Ganassi Racing who gave him the strategy to achieve and execute his superb result.

Other notable mentions, Arrow McLaren had all their cars in the top 5 a great feat for them on the run up to the Indy 500. Even though he slumped to 4th Christian Lundgaard and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing have got their season back on track after a difficult and troubling start to the season.

Five winners in five different races this season in the 2023 NTT Indycar Series, with the big one up next the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday 28th of May, it's looking likely it could be six from six in a thrilling and unpredictable Indycar season.