INDIANAPOLIS -- Alex Palou made it five winners in five race results to start the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series season, capitalizing on an aggressive tire strategy to win the GMR Grand Prix and take the championship points lead.
The Chip Ganassi Racing driver won by more than 16 seconds on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course over Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward, who trails Palou by six points in the standings.
It was the fifth career victory for Palou and his first since a runaway win in the 2022 season finale in Laguna Seca, California.
Alexander Rossi finished third, followed by pole-sitter Christian Lundgaard and Felix Rosenqvist as Arrow McLaren took three of the top five spots.
Rossi earned his first podium since joining Arrow McLaren this season, and teammate Rosenqvist also posted a season best.
Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Marcus Ericsson, Colton Herta and Graham Rahal rounded out the top 10.
Here are the IndyCar results and points standings after the GMR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course:
RESULTS
Click here for the official box score from the 85-lap race on a 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course in Indianapolis.
Here is the finishing order in the GMR Grand Prix with starting position in parentheses, driver, engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):
1. (3) Alex Palou, Honda, 85, Running
2. (5) Pato O’Ward, Chevrolet, 85, Running
3. (10) Alexander Rossi, Chevrolet, 85, Running
4. (1) Christian Lundgaard, Honda, 85, Running
5. (2) Felix Rosenqvist, Chevrolet, 85, Running
6. (9) Scott Dixon, Honda, 85, Running
7. (13) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 85, Running
8. (7) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 85, Running
9. (14) Colton Herta, Honda, 85, Running
10. (8) Graham Rahal, Honda, 85, Running
11. (18) Romain Grosjean, Honda, 85, Running
12. (12) Will Power, Chevrolet, 85, Running
13. (17) Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, 85, Running
14. (6) Kyle Kirkwood, Honda, 85, Running
15. (11) Marcus Armstrong, Honda, 85, Running
16. (16) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 85, Running
17. (15) Devlin DeFrancesco, Honda, 84, Running
18. (24) Callum Ilott, Chevrolet, 84, Running
19. (21) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 84, Running
20. (4) Jack Harvey, Honda, 84, Running
21. (25) Agustin Canapino, Chevrolet, 84, Running
22. (26) Helio Castroneves, Honda, 84, Running
23. (27) Santino Ferrucci, Chevrolet, 80, Running
24. (23) Benjamin Pedersen, Chevrolet, 79, Running
25. (19) Simon Pagenaud, Honda, 58, Mechanical
26. (20) David Malukas, Honda, 2, Contact
27. (22) Sting Ray Robb, Honda, 1, Contact
Winner’s average speed: 115.234 mph; Time of Race: 1 hour, 47 minutes, 56.7003 seconds; Margin of victory: 16.8006 seconds; Cautions: 1 for 3 laps; Lead changes: 12 among eight drivers. Lap Leaders: Palou 1-17; Lundgaard 18-19; Rosenqvist 20-22; Ericsson 23; Rahal 24-30; Lundgaard 31-41; Palou 42-43; Ericsson 44; Dixon 45-47; Palou 48-59; O’Ward 60-61; Rossi 62-64; Palou 65-85.
POINTS
Click here for the points tally in the race.
Here are the points standings after the GMR Grand Prix:
Top 10 in points: Palou 174, O’Ward 168, Ericsson 155, Grosjean 134, McLaughlin 133, Newgarden 131, Dixon 127, Power 122, Lundgaard 111, Rossi 108.
Rest of the standings: Kirkwood 108, Herta 107, Rosenqvist 97, Ilott 92, Rahal 86, Malukas 79, Armstrong 77, VeeKay 64, Canapino 56, Castroneves 53, Harvey 53, Ferrucci 51, Pagenaud 50, Daly 49, DeFrancesco 46, Robb 42, Pedersen 40, Carpenter 17, Sato 5.
Next race: The 107th running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place May 28 with coverage starting on Peacock at 9 a.m. ET (the broadcast will be on NBC starting at 11 a.m.)
NBC Sports at the Indy 500: Full broadcast schedule for May