Christian Lundgaard wins the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis, sealing it with a decisive late overtake. Alex Palou, dominant early, slips to fifth after a mistimed stop under caution.

Palou controls the opening phase, leading the first 23 laps from pole. He had topped both practices and every qualifying segment, chasing a fourth straight IMS road course win.

The race pivots on Lap 22 when Alexander Rossi stops at the Yard of Bricks, triggering a caution. With pit lane open, Palou and Kyle Kirkwood delay pitting and forfeit track position.

Following stops on Lap 24, Palou restarts 17th on Lap 26 and recovers to fifth. “We just made a mistake, made a bad call during that yellow,” he says post-race.

The speed is still evident, and the damage is limited. Palou extends his championship lead to 27 points over Kirkwood despite the strategic miscue.

David Malukas looks set for a maiden win after leading 27 laps. Lundgaard changes the complexion with an audacious outside move through Turns 5 and 6.

Malukas deems the pass fair and strong, admitting he could have been tougher. A quicker final stop yields a 0.5-second cushion, but Lundgaard’s momentum proves decisive.

Second place is Malukas’ third career runner-up and his second at Indianapolis, adding to his result in last May’s 109th Indianapolis 500.

Graham Rahal completes the podium and continues an efficient IMS record. It is his 35th podium, 70th top-five, and 16th top-10 in 18 attempts on the road course.

Rahal’s pace underlines team progress after a strong Barber result. Bobby Rahal praises the renewed competitiveness, noting a robust platform now supporting execution.

Scott Dixon recovers from first-lap contact involving Felix Rosenqvist and others. Dropping to 25th, he climbs to sixth with sharp stops and late-race strategy.

Josef Newgarden advances from 10th to fourth, his best IMS road course finish since 2023. It is also his second top-five of the season, built on clean execution.

The result delivers Chevrolet’s 10th IMS road course victory and first since 2021. Lundgaard’s success ends the manufacturer’s drought and frames the build-up to the 110th Indianapolis 500.

Visual Summary

Brian Thompson

Brian Thompson focuses on IndyCar Series news, from qualifying speeds at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to street-course race strategy. He delivers concise feature stories and technical breakdowns on chassis setups, tire choices, and championship standings for open-wheel enthusiasts.