The 106th edition of America’s most famous race, sixth round of the IndyCar championship, crowns the 31-year-old Swedish Ericsson on a Honda of the Chip Ganassi team. O’Ward and Kanaan complete the podium. Scott Dixon, long-time leader, finishes 21st after a penalty
Giulio Masperi
May 29
– Milan
In front of over 325,000 spectators on the stands and lawns of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Marcus Ericsson wins the 106th edition of the Indianapolis 500, sixth round of the IndyCar Series championship. The 31-year-old Swedish rider, on Honda number 8 of the Chip Ganassi team, who started fifth, wins his third success in the American series, the first in the most historic and famous race. At the end of the 200 laps on the oval in Indiana, second is Pato O’Ward on the Arrow McLaren Chevrolet (+ 1 ” 792), third Tony Kanaan on Honda. Disappointment for Scott Dixon: the New Zealander, leading the race for a long time, finishes 21st: a few laps from the end, during the last pit stop, he exceeds the speed limits at the pit lane entrance and suffers a penalty.
500 MIGLIA INDIANAPOLIS 2022: THE CHRONICLE, THE FIRST LAPS
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After the national anthem sung by Jordan Fisher, American singer, actor and dancer born in 1994, the show of the most anticipated competition of the year comes to life: sun, dry track and spring temperatures in Indiana. At the start Dixon, Palou and Veekay hold the positions, with the Spaniard and the Dutchman pursuing and overtaking the pole-man for a few laps. The New Zealander regained the leadership in the eighth lap and went head-to-head on the “thread” with his teammate Palou. On lap 30 the pit stops begin. Spectacular accident on lap 39 for Veekay in the Chevrolet number 21: the young Dutchman loses control of his Chevrolet in turn 2 and crashes on the external concrete protections, without involving other competitors. The pilot does not report any consequences, but is forced to retire. At the restart, after the yellow flags, on lap 47 Palou leads on Dixon, third Ericsson.
500 MIGLIA INDIANAPOLIS 2022: THE MID-RACE CHRONICLE
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At a quarter of the game the challenge between Palou and Dixon continues; complete the top-5 O’Ward, Ericsson and Carpenter; the top ten drivers are enclosed in 5 seconds. On lap 69 an accident for Callum Ilott, former Formula 2, who crashes into curve-2 at the same point as Veekay. The Englishman is unharmed, but his Chevrolet number 22 has to retire. On lap 78, the track cleared, green flag with Dixon in the lead ahead of Daly, third O’Ward. Palou was unlucky in the phases immediately following Ilott’s “bang”: the Spaniard lost many positions (29th) for having entered the pit lane as soon as the pit lane was closed, with the result of having to repeat the next lap to complete the stop . Halfway through the race Dixon is first, Daly, O’Ward, Ericsson, Kanaan are chasing a few tenths.
THE SECOND PART OF THE RACE
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On lap 107, the race of Romain Grosjean ends, who was leading a mid-table race: the former Formula 1 loses control of his Honda number 28 in curve-2 (a “photocopy” accident to the one that occurred in Veekay) and withdraw. The race restarts in the 113th lap: O’Ward gains the leadership, but Dixon takes a lap to regain possession of the position. Third Daly. Around lap 145, after the fourth stop, the challenge between O’Ward and Dixon is renewed, with Rosenqvist, Daly and Ferrucci following the two protagonists. McLaughlhin at 49 laps from the checkered flag crashes with his Chevrolet number 3 on the outside of turn 3: the driver bounces in the center of the asphalt belt while Carpenter reaches full throttle, luckily no contact between the two and no consequences for the New Zealander. The brawl resumes 7 laps later with yet another restart launched: Dixon and O’Ward compete for the first position.
THE FINAL OF THE RACE
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Twist in the final: at 25 laps from the checkered flag Dixon, in command, returns for the last pit stop, but suffers the drive through penalty for having exceeded the speed limits in the pit lane; the New Zealander falls to 26th position. A “fiery” race finale: after all the pit stops, with 11 laps to go the former F1 Marcus Ericsson on Honda number 8, hitherto author of a substantive race always in the first places, leads ; O’Ward is second at 3 seconds. The accident – without consequences – of Jimmie Johnson with 6 laps to go causes a red flag regime when there are 4 laps to go with Ericsson, ahead of O’Ward, Kanaan, Rosenqvist and Rossi. Once the race has been restarted, the Swede defends himself from the Mexican’s attacks, until in the last two corners – when the result is already achieved – due to an accident the race direction displays the yellow flags which, in fact, accompany the drivers to the finish line.
500 INDIANAPOLIS MILES 2022: THE RANKING
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At the end of the 200 laps of the race on the Indianapolis oval track, here is the ranking of the top 10 drivers at the finish line (here the complete ranking of the competition).
- M. Ericsson (Honda, Chip Ganassi) 200 laps
- P. O’Ward (Chevrolet, Arrow McLaren) + 1”792
- T. Kanaan (Honda, Chip Ganassi) + 3 ” 517
- F. Rosenqvist (Chevrolet, Arrow McLaren) + 4 ” 126
- A. Rossi (Honda, Andretti) + 4 ” 980
- C. Daly (Chevrolet, Ed Carpenter) + 5”079
- H. Castroneves (Honda, Meyer Shank) + 6 ” 561
- S. Pagenaud (Honda, Meyer Shank) + 7”093
- A. Palou (Honda, Chip Ganassi) + 8 ” 244
- S. Ferrucci (Chevrolet, Dreyer & Reinbold) + 9 ” 832
May 29, 2022 – 10:49 pm
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