After a week off the IndyCar paddock roared back into life at the iconic Laguna Seca circuit for the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey. Alex Palou claimed pole position for the start of the 95-lap race as he searches for his third race win of the season.
At the start of the race, Kyle Kirkwood got the jump on Palou and took the lead straight off of the Spaniard. Behind the top two Felix Rosenqvist, Alexander Rossi and Colton Herta made up the top five.
On Lap Six Rinus Veekay found himself spinning around as he ventured around Laguna Seca as his right rear tyre dipped off the circuit into the gravel. The Dutch driver regained control of his car and continued racing.
On Lap 20 the drivers began filtering through the pits. When looking at the front Kirkwood pit before Palou and lost his lead and dropped down to sixth. However, after Palou pit for the first time this race, he dropped back from first to second, just ahead of Kirkwood in third.
The chaos really began on Lap 28 as Marcus Ericsson ran off the track and did some dirt track racing. Kirkwood got back into second as he passed Palou and Herta also pounced on the Spaniard. However, out front was Alexander Rossi who took advantage of the undercut and led for the Arrow McLaren squad.
On Lap 35 Luca Ghiotto destroyed his car in a massive shunt. The Italian driver smashed the left side of his car up and brought out the first caution of the day.
After yellow flag pit stops Palou regained the lead and had Pato O’Ward in second and Romain Grosjean in third place. On Lap 41 Nolan Siegel put his Arrow Mclaren in the wall between turn two and three in his first drive for the team. On the restart, Palou led Grosjean and O’Ward on Lap 43 of 95.
After the second set of pit stops Herta grabbed the lead ahead of Rossi and Palou. The early leader of Kirkwood was down in fourth ahead of Scott McLaughlin.
On lap 75 of 95 and Marcus Armstrong was spun around in a heated battle, and the safety car came out after he was unable to restart his car.
A late caution went green on lap 92 and Palou led the field from Herta, Rossi and Grosjean. With four laps to go at Laguna Seca the race had just opened up.
Josef Newgarden spun from fifth place but the yellow flag stayed away and Palou grabbed the white flag meaning one lap to go.
Palou wins his third race of the season after a dominant show at Laguna Seca. Colton Herta finished in second place and was joined by Alexander Rossi on the podium.
Romain Grosjean finished in fourth with…
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