Race Report: 2021 Big Machine Spiked Coolers Grand Prix

Session Notes:

• The 2021 Big Machine Spiked Coolers Grand Prix was 85 laps on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course totaling 207.32 miles.
• All cars but those of Romain Grosjean, Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou, Scott McLaughlin, Conor Daly, Ed Jones and Ryan Hunter-Reay started on Firestone Firehawk black primary tires.
• Fifteen minutes prior to the green flag, the ambient temperature was 81 degrees with mostly cloudy skies. The track temperature was 113 degrees according to Firestone engineers.
• At 12:55 p.m. EDT, co-grand marshals Scott and Sandy Borchetta gave the command. All engines started and all cars rolled off the grid.
• O'Ward led the field to the green and maintained the lead until his first pit stop on Lap 16, at which point Will Power took control of the race.
• Two late race cautions slowed the pace:
  • Lap 67: With smoke trailing from the rear of the No. 10 Honda, Alex Palou came to a stop on course with a mechanical issue. The car was retired form the event and the championship leader ended the day with a finish of 27th.
  • Lap 77: Rinus VeeKay spun the No. 21 Chevrolet after contact with the No. 3 Chevrolet of Scott McLaughlin. VeeKay was stalled on course in Turn 7. For avoidable contact, McLaughlin was ordered to take the restart from the rear of the field.
• Power went on to lead 56 of 85 laps en route to his first victory of 2021 and the 40th of his Indy car career. The achievement also marked Power's sixth win at Indianapolis — once on the 2.5-mile oval and five times on the road course — which tied him with Kyle Bush for most victories at the track.
• Despite finishing near the bottom of the running order, Palou kept the points lead but the race for the 2021 championship tightened significantly.
  • Palou: 415
  • O'Ward: 394 (-21)
  • Dixon: 381 (-34)
  • Newgarden: 360 (-55)
  • Ericsson: 353 (-62)
  • Rahal: 312 (-103)
  • Herta: 311 (-104)
  • Pagenaud: 295 (-120)
  • Power: 278 (-137)
  • VeeKay: 269 (-146)
    
  
  

Session Notes:

• At the start of the final round of qualifying, the ambient temperature was 85 degrees with 68% relative humidity and mostly cloudy skies. The track temperature was 98 degrees according to Firestone engineers.
• The Firestone Fast 12 was not subject to any penalties, however the results were not immediately validated by INDYCAR due to a protest by the No. 12 team. The challenge alleged that Power had been blocked by the No. 5 Chevrolet of O'Ward on Power's first flying lap.
• With no action taken, O'Ward secured the NTT P1 Award thanks to a lap time of 1:10.7147.
  

Session Notes:

• Scott Dixon spun the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda near the timing line that would have ended his final lap, bringing out a local yellow that affected other competitors. Dixon was penalized his fastest lap.
• Felix Rosenqvist, James Hinchcliffe and Dalton Kellett each had a lap invalidated for failure to reduce speed under a local yellow.
• Alexander Rossi was fastest in the group and advanced along with Christian Lundgaard, Alex Palou, Romain Grosjean, Pato O'Ward and Marcus Ericsson.
  

Session Notes:

• At the start of qualifying, the ambient temperature at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was 88 degrees with 55% relative humidity and partly cloudy skies. The track temperature was 103 degrees according to Firestone engineers.
• The drivers of Group 1 were not assessed any penalties.
• Will Power was fastest in the group and advanced to the Firestone Fast 12 along with Jack Harvey, Conor Daly, Simon Pagenaud, Colton Herta and Rinus VeeKay.
  

Session Notes:

• At the start of the 60-minute session, the ambient temperature at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was 81 degrees with 71% relative humidity and overcast skies. The track temperature was 97 degrees according to Firestone engineers.
• Halfway through practice, Rinus VeeKay's 1:11.8641 was fastest.
• Eight minutes before the scheduled end of practice, the No. 26 Andretti Autosport Honda of Colton Herta stopped at pit exit, necessitating a red flag. The session resumed five minutes later. Herta was issued a five-minute time penalty for causing a red flag during practice.
• At the checkered flag, championship leader Alex Palou was fastest with a 1:10.8839 in the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.