Portland, Race: Power dominates and closes the gap on Palou | FP

Impeccable performance by Will Power in the last race of the season on a permanent circuit, in Portland where the Australian Penske driver won for the last time in 2019. A repeat after five years that allows the #12 to close the gap in the general classification on Alex Palou, 2nd at the finish line but still leader with three races to go in the championship with an advantage of 54 points on the one who was able to celebrate today on the top step of the podium. 3rd Josef Newgardenfollowed by Colton Herta, 67 points behind Palou in a race that almost completely eliminated Scott Dixon from the title fight, who ended up in the barriers on the first lap following contact with Fittipaldi.

Race report

A race that started after the great surprise of Santino Ferrucci in qualifying, author of his first pole position in IndyCar that brought the AJ Foyt team back in front of everyone for the first time in ten years. However, at the start, Ferrucci immediately lost the lead to Power at the entrance of the first chicane, in a race that was immediately interrupted with the first and only caution following the contact between Pietro Fittipaldi and Scott Dixon. While the New Zealander suffered the worst damage, with an impact against the barriers and the inevitable retirement (in addition to a gap to Palou in the standings that now increases to 101 points), the Brazilian instead received a penalty for the maneuver. At the restart, which took place five laps after the episode, Palou gained a position on Ferrucci, who in turn was followed by his rival Grosjean. The first two drivers maintained their positions steadily even after the first pit stops, which took place around lap 30, with Kirkwood and Newgarden in turn taking advantage of a different strategy to climb to third and fourth position respectively, just ahead of Grosjean. Podium hopes dashed for Kirkwoodhowever, on lap 51, thanks to a blocking penalty on Sowery as he returned to the track after his second pit stop. Once again, Power defended his lead over Palou and Newgarden, with Grosjean instead excluded from the fight for the top-3 due to a spin at the entrance to the first chicane. A mistake made worse by his re-entry onto the track in full racing line while the blameless Rasmussen was passing, a fact that caused an inevitable penalty for the former Formula 1 driver.