Scott Dixon resisted immense pressure from team mate Felix Rosenqvist to win as a thrilling final lap decided the IndyCar round in Mid-Ohio.
Leader Dixon, suffering with heavy tyre degradation as the only driver to run the softer red compound tyres for the last stint of a two-stop strategy, fell prey to his team mate on fresher tyres over the final laps. Rosenqvist chased Dixon down but had to pick his way through a string of lapped cars without the benefit of push-to-pass, which he’d exhausted earlier in the race.Rosenqvist damaged his front wing trying to pass Takuma Sato, who then pitted, and arrived on Dixon’s tail after lapping Marco Andretti.
The Ganassai pair then thrillingly locked horns on the final tour. The rookie attempted a do-or-die lunge at the Keyhole, making contact with Dixon, but the duo emerged from the corner still nose-to-tail. Dixon held on to deny Rosenqvist his first win by less than a tenth of a second.
While that was going on the fight for third place was decided at the same corner with major implications for the championship. Josef Newgarden attempted to pass Ryan Hunter-Reay around the outside, then switched to the inside. The pair made contact, spinning the Penske into the gravel. It was a huge blow for Newgarden, who’d fought his way back after losing time with a slow refuelling stop.
Pole sitter Will Power, who was passed twice by Rosenqwvist during the race, inherited fourth. Alexander Rossi took fifth place and trimmed Newgarden’s points lead to just 16.
Simon Pagenaud took sixth ahead of Spencer Pigot, who like Rosenqvist converted from a two-stop strategy to three by cutting short his second stint. Colton Herta tangled with Sebastien Bourdais on his way to eighth. Graham Rahal came in ninth while part-time Schmidt Peterson racer Jack Harvey was the first of the team’s cars home in 10th.
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IndyCar
- Two Penskes disqualified from season-opener, O’Ward handed victory
- Pourchaire to make second IndyCar start for McLaren as Malukas’ absence continues
- Dixon sips fuel to win as Newgarden and Herta collide in his mirrors
- Rosenqvist beats Penske pair at Long Beach to give Meyer Shank first pole
- F2 champion Pourchaire to make IndyCar debut for McLaren at Long Beach
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
28th July 2019, 23:09
Great race!
Dixon holding on was impressive, even being so robust on Rosenqvist. Amazed that they were allowed to race each other given the championship implications.
What was Newgarden doing at the end? 4th to 14th with one silly last lap gamble!
Good result for the neutral in terms of closing up the championship battle.
schooner (@schooner)
28th July 2019, 23:48
Yeah, that was good fun. Sometimes when a race goes without any cautions, someone winds up running away with it. That sure didn’t happen today. Newgarden really did shoot himself in the foot there at the end.
Ericglo
29th July 2019, 5:04
Amazing to see top level teams let their drivers battle it out on the track.
kpcarr
29th July 2019, 14:13
This is not f1! (thank god)
Hugh (@hugh11)
29th July 2019, 10:27
Argh so close for Felix, Dixon even admitted that that move to take the apex on the final lap pushing Rosenqvist onto the grass was a bit much (but if he had let Rosenqvist through then he’d have lost a few more positions so it’s understandable), and you feel that if it wasn’t his teammate Rosenqvist would’ve had it.
Sidenote: I’m all for no blue flags, but I think that when a leader gets their nose alongside you, you should get out of the way for them. I think once Chilton and once Andretti both just slammed the door shut on Rosenqvist’s front wing, and while the moves were a bit late and optimistic, I think the lapped cars should just let him go through. He’d have definitely had the win if they weren’t so aggressive. I get that they were fighting for position but eh, I dunno.
PT (@pt)
29th July 2019, 17:45
Two exciting races this weekend, in F1 and IndyCar. It’s one of those weekends that rekindles your love for the sport.