PATO O’WARD TAKES 10TH INDYCAR WIN IN PERFECT WEEKEND FOR MCLAREN
Arrow McLaren enjoyed the most successful weekend in its IndyCar history at Mid-Ohio, achieving something the team had never done before: a one-two finish. The Honda Indy 200 became a landmark race for the Chevrolet-powered team, with Pato O’Ward taking victory ahead of teammate Christian Lundgaard after a dominant performance.
For O’Ward, the win marked his 10th career IndyCar victory and ended a long wait for the Mexican driver. His last triumph had come at the Toronto Grand Prix in July 2025, making this victory an important moment in his season and a reminder of his ability to fight at the front when given the right opportunity.
Lundgaard started the race from pole position and controlled the early stages, immediately showing strong pace. The Dane was followed closely by his teammate O’Ward and David Malukas, creating an intense battle between the Arrow McLaren cars and their rivals.
The turning point of the race came on lap 42 at the Keyhole corner. Lundgaard ran wide through Turn 2, allowing O’Ward to close the gap. At the following braking zone at China Beach, the Mexican made a brilliant move around the outside of his teammate to take the lead.
From that moment, O’Ward never looked back. Thanks to a strong strategy from the Arrow McLaren pit wall and extremely fast pit stops, he was able to control the race and manage Lundgaard’s pressure until the finish. Even traffic from slower cars, including Mick Schumacher, could not stop O’Ward from securing a memorable victory.
Behind the McLaren duo, Kyle Kirkwood completed the podium after an impressive recovery drive. Starting from 10th on the grid, the Andretti driver steadily moved through the field and secured third place after a close battle with Rinus VeeKay.
VeeKay was one of the biggest surprises of the weekend. Driving for Juncos Hollinger Racing, the Dutchman delivered one of his strongest performances of the season and looked set for a podium finish. However, his hopes disappeared during the final pit stop, when Andretti’s faster service allowed Kirkwood to jump ahead and claim the final podium position.
Championship leader Alex Palou once again showed why he remains one of the most consistent drivers in IndyCar. Starting eighth, the Spaniard finished fifth and limited the damage despite not having the pace to fight for victory. His ability to score strong points even on difficult weekends continues to strengthen his championship position.
The race was much more difficult for Team Penske. David Malukas looked like a potential contender early on, but his pace dropped significantly when using the softer tyres, forcing him back to eighth place by the finish. He was passed by Will Power, who finished sixth, and Christian Rasmussen, who scored a strong seventh-place result.
Josef Newgarden continued his recovery after his Indianapolis crash and the surgery that followed his victory in St. Louis. The two-time Indy 500 winner could only manage 10th place as he works his way back to full fitness.
It was a weekend to forget for two IndyCar legends, Scott McLaughlin and Scott Dixon. Starting from disappointing qualifying positions, both drivers struggled throughout the race and finished 16th and 17th respectively. With no caution periods and a race focused on strategy and pace, neither driver had the opportunity to recover from their difficult starting positions.
The IndyCar season will continue next at Nashville on July 18-19 for the Music City Grand Prix, where championship rivals will look to fight back against Palou and the resurgent McLaren squad.
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