Pato O ‘Ward (McLaren SP) won the 2nd Detroit doubleheader race, posting a remarkable comeback, after he started in 16th place.
The 22-year-old Mexican thus became the first driver to remove two rounds this season, after his success in Race 2 at Texas Motor Speedway. At the same time, he takes the lead in the championship.
For a long time, however, it seemed that the win would be played between poleman Josef Newgarden (Penske) and Colton Herta (Andretti), but O’Ward was irresistible after the last restart, on lap 64.
Then in 5th position, the native of Monterrey passed in quick succession Graham Rahal (RLL), Alex Palou (Chip Ganassi), then Colton Herta.
Facing a Newgarden on soft tires, the least efficient in the streets of Detroit, the Mexican on hard tires then performed the maneuver that gave him the lead on 68th of 70 laps.
At the checkers, he was ahead of the American Team Penske by more than six seconds, and Alex Palou, who had beaten Herta, by almost seven seconds.
From P16 to P1!! @PatricioOWard and the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet secure the win at the #Detroit #INDYCAR pic.twitter.com/cbe9zf1U90
— Arrow McLaren SP (@ArrowMcLarenSP) June 13, 2021
This result is a further disillusionment for Team Penske, which has still not won a round in the middle of the championship, even if three of its drivers are placed in the top10. Besides Newgarden, Will Power finished 6th, and Simon Pagenaud gleaned 8th place after starting in 10th position.
The last neutralization of the race was caused by Romain Grosjean, not varnished this weekend.
Starting 5th, the Frenchman from Dale Coyne Racing was forced, like Saturday, to retire, this time when his vehicle was experiencing the start of a fire after a spin which caused his brakes to overheat.
Faced with the slow arrival of help, the French even grabbed a fire extinguisher before being stopped in his tracks.
Previously, Grosjean had also suffered a drive-through when he passed Jack Harvey (Meyer Shank Racing), puncturing his right rear wheel in the process.
Deemed illegal, the ex-F1 driver’s maneuver was nevertheless carried out at the appropriate time, when the Englishman had just passed through the pitlane, on the 28th lap, and his tires were still cold.
Here’s the full video of Romain Grosjean’s abandonment in Detroit.
Notice the speed he had to get out of the car, and the desperation to get a fire extinguisher and turn off the car.pic.twitter.com/G2jZYkc9pU
– Romain Grosjean Brasil? (@RGrosjeanBR) June 13, 2021
Still on the French side, Sébastien Bourdais finished 16th after starting from 13th place.
Find in issue 2316 of AUTOhebdo, on sale Monday evening in digital version and Wednesday in newsstands, the analysis of the Detroit doubleheader.
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