Marcus Ericsson won a completely crazy race on the streets of Markham, Canada. The Swede secured his first victory with Andretti Global ahead of Romain Grosjean, who had long hoped for his first IndyCar win.
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Ericsson had been waiting for this since 2023. Just days after the announcement of his extension with Andretti Global through 2027, the Swede found the path to victory at the end of a particularly eventful race in Markham, a suburb of Toronto.
Longtime leader but overtaken near the finish, Grosjean secured his first podium of the season ahead of Will Power (Andretti) while Álex Palou (Ganassi) strengthened his position as championship leader.
Grosjean five laps from a first victory
The various neutralizations had nevertheless placed the 2022 Indianapolis 500 winner in a tricky situation. Pushed to the front, Ericsson still had to make one last pit stop and was forced to build a significant gap before returning to the pit lane.
With more than 13 seconds lead, he finally made his stop before starting an impressive comeback. Ericsson notably got rid of his teammate Will Power after a particularly tough overtake. With five laps to go, only one obstacle remained: Romain Grosjean.
Strategically offset, the Frenchman had found himself in the lead and could dream of finally securing his first IndyCar victory, five years after joining the championship. However, Ericsson had more pace and eventually overtook the Dale Coyne Racing driver. The Swede then flew to his fifth IndyCar win and his first since 2023.
Grosjean had to settle for second place, a result that nonetheless represents a great performance, while Power completed the podium after a spectacular comeback from the last position on the grid.
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Foster loses big, Palou closes in on the title
Álex Palou finished fourth, a particularly important result in the championship context since several of his main rivals had a much tougher day.
Starting only 11th, Palou could have feared this first race on the streets of Markham. The Canadian street circuit indeed caused the expected chaos, but the four-time champion managed to avoid many traps. Kyle Kirkwood (Andretti) notably ended his race in the wall, while David Malukas (Penske) was also involved in an accident.
The big loser of the day remains Louis Foster. Starting from pole position, the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver appeared to be the man to beat. A neutralization on lap 31, before his first stop, complicated his strategy, but the Briton had managed to climb back quickly.
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His race finally ended on lap 43 when an overtaking attempt on Ericsson ended in the wall at turn 3. His teammate Mick Schumacher (RLL) had already retired on lap 15 after losing control of his car while fighting near the top 10.
With his fourth place and the difficulties faced by his pursuers, Palou makes another excellent move in his quest for a fifth IndyCar title.
The championship will continue next weekend with an exceptional race on the streets of Washington D.C., the “Freedom 250” organized as part of the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence.
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