Josef Newgarden as a fine strategist in Phoenix

By stopping to put on new tires after the final neutralization caused on the 229th lap by contact with the wall of Ed Jones (Chip Ganassi Racing – Honda), Josef Newgarden (Team Penske – Chevrolet) made the best strategic choice for the decisive part of the race from Phoenix to Arizona.

The reigning champion, left behind the trio Robert Wickens, James Hinchcliffe (SPM – Honda) and Alexander Red (Andretti Autosport – Honda) took advantage of its fresh envelopes to quickly take the advantage at the restart on the 243rd lap, first over Rossi and Hinchcliffe, before getting rid of the leader Wickens with an overtake from the outside at turn n° 1 of the 247th round.

The Mass was said, Newgarden heading towards a first success in 2018 by preceding Robert Wickens and Alexander Rossi to the checkered flag, the latter having however been penalized for hitting a mechanic during a stop.

Unhappy hero of the Grand Prix of St Petersburg (Florida) at the opening of the season last March, after having led the race for a long time, Wickens confirms his rapid adaptation to single-seaters IndyCar and signs his first podium in the championship.

Bourdais et Pagenaud little success

Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing) took fourth place ahead of Ryan Hunter-Reay (Andretti Autosport). Starting from pole position, Sébastien Bourdais (Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan – Honda) led the first part of the event until his stop on the 43rd lap, where the Frenchman slipped upon arriving at his spot, hitting a mechanic.

The winner of the St Petersburg Grand Prix was thus penalized with a drive-through and lost a lap which he was never able to recover, finally finishing in thirteenth position. “I didn't pay attention that my tires were dirty and when I was on the concrete in the pit lane, I tried to slow down and I locked the wheels instantly and nothing happened, admits Bourdais.

I just slipped. This was the missed moment of the race because after that there were no yellow flags until all the refueling was finished. We never got back into the lap because of the penalty. »

Disturbed by strong understeer during most of the race, Simon Pagenaud (Team Penske) could not do better than a final tenth place. Josef Newgarden takes the championship lead before the next round of the IndyCar Series next week in Long Beach, California.

Race ranking

Discover the full report of the Phoenix IndyCar event, in issue 2160 of AUTOhebdo, available tomorrow evening in digital version and this Wednesday on newsstands.