Photo by Bradley Proctor
Few races have all of the elements that combine to create a good, entertaining race. Saturday’s race had all of them. The lead was in doubt until near the end, there was great passing, cautions came (or didn’t) at times that altered pit strategies, drivers were angry at Race Control, and some were mad at their fellow competitors. Contenders became pretenders. Pit issues once again cost a team a potential victory.
Christian Lundgaard won the Sonsio Grand Prix with a bold pass of David Malukas on lap 68. Malukas seemed to be in command of the event after Will Power’s penalty. What started as another Alex Palou beat down turned into a race of different pit strategies.
The first lap incident turned the race on its head. Will Power made an early stop during the first caution and found himself at the front of the field on lap 24 after starting last. Power looked on track to need one less pit stop than the rest of the field until misfortune struck when he exited the pits on lap 58. Power locked up the wheels and ran across the pit blend line. He corrected the car and crossed the blend line properly, but he had moved onto the track and received a drive through penalty. Power’s frustrating season continues.
Rahal Resurgence?
Graham Rahal earned his second podium in three races as Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing continues to show better than they have the last couple of years. The team has improved their qualifying- Rahal started seventh, and teammate Louis Foster made the Fast Six. The team has backed up their qualifying with better results. Foster ended the day in seventh.
Starting tomorrow we will see how much improvement their oval program has made, but they seem to have figured out the road courses./\
Lundgaard a Championship Contender?
Lundgaard’s victory puts him fourth in the point standings, just three points behind Malukas and 55 points behind leader Palou. Malukas earned three bonus points Saturday for leading the most laps, so they are in a virtual tie. Lundgaard’s win would give him the tie breaker if the two end up with the same number of points.
In his second year at McLaren Lundgaard is becoming the team leader.
Andretti Pit Woes Continue
If Kyle Kirkwood is to have any shot at catching Palou for the title, pit work has got to improve. Trouble changing the right front tire cost Kirkwood a chance at the win. Kirkwood had gotten ahead of Palou on track after the Ganassi driver went in the grass to avoid contact. Kirkwood only lost 10 points to Palou, and while the damage could have been worse, no driver can afford to lose points to Palou.
Pit issues in the Indianapolis 500 will be disastrous.
Race Control: Anybody Home?
So far in 2026 the new Independent Officiating Board has been no better than the old officiating system. I venture to say they have taken a step backward. Not throwing a caution so the leader’s race is not ruined can still ruin a driver’s race. And if it does come to that, it’s just the breaks of the game.
Two incidents Saturday drew the ire of fans and rivers toward Race Control. A large piece of carbon fiber lay on the track. It was deemed to be off the racing line, but the FOX broadcast showed that it was at first in the racing line and was blown off the line by passing cars. It could have just as easily been blown back into the action.
Nolan Siegel and Kyffin Simpson were battling for position, both went outside the racing line and they drove around the debris, one driver on each side of it .
A lap leader the most egregious non call of the year occurred. Alexander Rossi had a hybrid issue and came to a stop on the front straight near the pit wall. A local yellow waved. It took two laps to for Race Control to throw a Full Course Yellow. Meanwhile, Rossi is sitting in his disabled car on the fastest part of the circuit waving wildly to get a full yellow.
Rossi eventually exited his car and climbed over the pit wall- on a hot track.
Race Control’s efforts to protect the leaders of the race created a very dangerous situation. Inexcusable.
I hope the 500 is better officiated than Saturday’s race was.
Overall the 2026 Sonsio Grand Prix was by far the best and most entertaining of the road course at IMS run in dry conditions. The race produced the fourth different winner of the season from a fourth team to win a race.
Now we prepare for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 