Christian Lundgaard Breaks Long Drought To Win Sonsio Grand Prix
- TSN MOTORSPORTS INSIDER
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Christian Lundgaard emerged victorious in a thrilling and eventful race, marked by numerous incidents and strategic decisions that tested the mettle of the pit wall team, to win the Sonsio Grand Prix on Saturday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. This marks his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory in nearly three years.
Lundgaard piloted his No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet to secure his second career victory, finishing 4.6713 seconds ahead of David Malukas in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Lundgaard's inaugural career win was achieved at the Honda Indy Toronto on July 16, 2023, while racing for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. This triumph concluded a 47-race winless streak for the Danish driver, making him the third McLaren driver to claim victory in the INDYCAR SERIES, alongside Johnny Rutherford and Pato O’Ward.
Christian Lundgaard
Track News
Christian Lundgaard Breaks Long Drought To Win Sonsio Grand Prix
Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly
INDYCAR Staff Writer
1 day ago
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Christian Lundgaard prevailed in a race filled with thrills, incidents and enough pit wall decisions to prematurely age strategists to win the Sonsio Grand Prix on Saturday on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory in nearly three years.
Lundgaard drove his No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet to his second career victory by 4.6713 seconds over the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet of David Malukas. Lundgaard’s first career win came at the Honda Indy Toronto on July 16, 2023, while driving for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. This victory ended a 47-race winless drought for the Danish driver, and he became the third McLaren driver to win in the INDYCAR SERIES, joining Johnny Rutherford and Pato O’Ward.
“Very happy,” Lundgaard said. “I really didn’t expect this today. I hoped for it. This was a long wait for this win, especially around this place. You know how fast I’ve always been around here, and it’s just been time after time after time disappointments. Now we’re here. Let’s go!
“We did it. Let’s go. Good start to May.”
Graham Rahal was the final podium finisher today, third in the No. 15 Fifth Third Bank Honda to tie his season-best result.
Josef Newgarden placed fourth in the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet to put two Penske cars in the top four. NTT P1 Award winner Alex Palou, who led every session he was on track this weekend entering the 85-lap race, rounded out the top five in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
Lundgaard, who started fourth, took the lead for good with a scintillating pass of Malukas on Lap 68. The two drivers raced side by side through Turns 3 and 4 before Lundgaard slipped through a small opening in the Turns 5 and 6 chicane leading to the backstretch of the 14-turn, 2.439-mile circuit.
Then Lundgaard, who last pitted for the final time one lap earlier than Malukas on Lap 65, pulled away over the closing laps. Malukas led a race-high 27 laps, four more than Lundgaard, as he fell just short of earning his first career victory.
“We were very strong in those middle stints, and then toward the end, we maybe made the wrong decision on wing (adjustments) there,” Malukas said. “We were just falling apart. I was doing everything I can just to survive, and Rahal was coming from behind.
“But either way, that is a fantastic result. We went into this weekend knowing it was going to be a struggle for us. We thought we wouldn’t even make the (Firestone) Fast Six (in qualifying), and here we are P2 on the podium. We’re one step closer to getting that win.”
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