Tag: Sonsio Grand Prix

Final Thoughts- Sonsio Grand Prix

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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.

Lundgaard Strategy Pays Off

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This will be a brief post. I will have a more detailed one tomorrow morning.

Christian Lundgaard pitted at the right time then passed David Malukas with 19 laps to go to win the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Andretti Pit Woes Strike Again

Pit troubles once again foiled Andretti Global’s efforts to cut into Alex Palou’s points lead. On Kyle Kirkwood’s second stop trouble replacing the right tire put Kirkwood behind Palou. Kirkwood gotten ahead of the points leader after Palou went into the grass to avoid a collision

Will Power looked to have the r4ace locked up, buy instead he locked up the tires exiting the pits on his final pit stop. He crossed the blend line too soon and received a drive through penalty.

Marcvus Ericsson stalled the car on his final stop and could not get it restarted.

Today’s race was arguably the best of the May Gps run in the dry. There were timely cautions, four leaders, a winning on track pass, and the outcome was in doubt until we were into the last quarter of the race.

This will do it for me for tonight, Looke for a more detailed report tomorrw. Thanks for following along this weekend.

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And Once Again, Pole for Palou

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It’s to the point where I can recycle the headline to my qualifications stories. Not only did Palou win the pole for this afternoon’s Sonsio Grand Prix, he won it by a half second over Pato O’Ward. Palou was the only driver to turn a lap under 1 minute 10 seconds.

Palou turned a blazing quick final lap in Rounf=d one to go from 13th to first. The next two rounds were justto make it official.

O’Ward expressed concern yesterday that he would end up in the lower half of the field. He was hoping qualifying would be in the rain yesterday to give his Arrow McLaren car a chance.

“We turned it around,” O’Ward said after aid after qualifying.

Felix Rosenqvist continued his strong qualifying efforts and will start third.

Five teams earned spots in the Fast Six while six different teams advanced from each first round group.

Most disappointing result has to be Kyle Kirkwood’s ninth place starting spot. It will be difficult for Kirkwood to keep with Palou in the points from there.

Notes

Will Power will start last in the 25 car field and Scott McLaughlin rolls off 18th.

Many cars began their rounds on the alternate tires. The starting tire selections will be interesting.

Results

From Earlier

A Decade of Drivel-The Pit Window Turns 10

It’s Race Day*

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(*…and Qualifyimg Day)

A better weather forecast and a packed day of racing is in store for the IndyCar series today due to yesterday’s postponement of qualifying. The Yesterday’s session was postponed because of water pooling on the front stretch and the medical helicopter being grounded. Track action is not allowed when the medical helicopter cannot take off.

The revised schedule with broadcast times and channels:

The only cancellation is the morning warmup. All other races will go on as scheduled.

The weather calls for cool but dry conditions for qualifying and sunny and 72 degrees for race time. A little rain would greatly improve the race, however.

Qualifying Groups”

I’ll be back with a report after qualifyingt.

IndyCar Qualifying Postponed

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IndyCar called an abrupt halt to today’s Sonsio Grand Prix qualifying due to the excessive moisture on the track.

Qualifying will take place at 10:45 am Eastern time Saturday morning. Coverage begins pn FS2 at 10:30 and switches to FS1 at 11:30, The scheduled warm up session is cancelled. Ther race will start at its original time.

While Firestone does supply a rain tire, the amount of water on the front stretch made running impossible. Since the IMS road course isn’t a true road course, there is nowhere for the water on the front stretch to go.

Practice ewaults were predictable except for Pato O’Ward, who was off the pace. O’Ward believes the number 5 car is in trouble for the race and qualifying.

The highlight of the day was the IndyNXT race which started in dry conditions, but ended as a timed race in the rain. it was arguably one of the best races on the road course here.

Enzo Fittipaldi, grandson of two time 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi, won the race with a daring pass on leader Lochie Hughes.

I will have more tomorrow morning on some exploring I did this afternoon. Thanks for following along today.

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Good Morning from IMS- Practice 1 Complete

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It’s a sunny but cool morning as the first practice round for the IndyCar Sonsio Grand Prix has just ended. I’m not going to be a spoiler and mention which Alex Palou led the session.

As I drove by Gate 2 this morning there was quite a line of cars waiting to get in the tnto the track, and it took a few minutes to enter Lot 2 as well.

Today’s forecast calls for rain beginning around 3 pm and continuing through IndyCar qualifying at 5:30 this evening.

IndyNXT is on track at the moment while we wait for the final results from IndyCar practice. The next IndyCar practice is at 1:05 pm on FS1. Qualifying is onFS2.

I’m going to wander around the track and see what is new for 2026.

Race Preview- Sonsio Grand Prix

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It’s finally time. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway opens for the fortnight of May today with practice and qualifying for the Sonsio Grand Prix. Indy NXT will race twice this weekend, and USF 2000 and USF Pro 2000 will have multiple race as well.

The timing is great for IndyCar after a week of controversy over the Long Beach Push to Pass incident, and the unveiling of a T-shirt for the race in Washington, D. C,. that was in my opinion in extremely poor taste.

Weather may be a facto today for qualifying, but race day should be dry. I wish the forecasts were reversed, as this race is a much better event when run in the rain.

This race has gone through several name changes before Sonsio and their affiliates began sponsoring the event. The first race was simply called the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, Then the Angie’s list GP, featuring a hideous green banner on the front stretch. I don’t miss that at all.

Since the May race on the IMS road course began in 2014, only four active drivers have this specific event- Will Power, Alex Palou, Scott Dixon, and Rinus VeeKay. Power and Palou have each won three races. Power won three in a row from 2016-2018. Palou has taken the last three and goes for an unprecedented fourth straight on Saturday.

Is 2026 Rahal’s Year?

Graham Rahal has done well at the IMS road course. he has two front row starts, and he nearly won the 2023 summer race from pole. Rahal is having a good season with a podium at Barber. He might be the one to stop the Palou juggernaut.

Keeping It Close

No matter where Palou finishes, Kyle Kirkwood needs to run somewhere near the points leader to stay within shouting distance. Kirkwood trails Palou by just 17 points, the only driver less than a full race behind the leader.

Kirkwood finished fifth at Barber and lost 24 points to Palou. He can’t afford to lose that many again.

I’m predicting another Palou win, which will put him in some elite company of drivers who have won four straight at a single track. The list includes A.J. Foyt at DuQuoin, Al Unser, Jr at Long Beach., and Bobby Rahal, at Laguna Seca.

Notes

IMS is very close to a sellout for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500. An announcement coul\d come this weekend.

The 2028 car will begin testing this summer, possibly late June or early July. The car will use the current engine for the first test, with the new engine installed in tests later in the year.

Drivers seem to be confused by the new Push to Pass procedure. There was a discussion between the top two drivers in pints at today’s media availability. My take is if all drivers use the boost at the start, it’s the same as if no one uses it. The starts and restarts won’t look any different.

There could be chaos if some drivers are not aware of the procedure.