The 2021 IndyCar season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca was a rollercoaster of emotions, with Scott Dixon emerging victorious to secure his seventh championship title. The race was marred by numerous caution periods due to incidents caused by over-optimistic maneuvers and collisions, giving the event an end-of-term feel. While some drivers struggled to keep their composure, Dixon showed his experience and kept a cool head throughout the chaos.
As the race began, pole-sitter Felix Rosenqvist led the field to the green flag on his final start with the team. However, the battle for second position between Christian Lundgaard and Scott McLaughlin ended in a collision, triggering a multi-car pile-up further back. This incident took out several notable drivers, including Josef Newgarden, who found himself pinned multiple times into the gravel.
Dixon faced an early setback with a late engine change, which dropped him to 11th position. However, he quickly asserted himself on the track and made contact with Rinus VeeKay on the exit of Turn 2. This incident caused damage to both cars, highlighting the aggressive nature of the race right from the start.
At the restart on lap seven, Alex Palou took the lead from Rosenqvist, while Will Power and Pato O’Ward closely followed. Power was the only driver in the top 10 using alternate tires, providing a strategic advantage. The race saw another caution period when Newgarden spun into the wall on his own at Turn 4, further intensifying the already chaotic atmosphere.
Rosenqvist’s Charge and Palou’s Scare
On lap 12, Rosenqvist aggressively made his way past Power at Turn 2, securing second place and bringing O’Ward with him. Despite the incident, Power managed to hold on to fourth position. Meanwhile, Palou, who was leading the race, faced a major scare when Helio Castroneves spun at Turn 2 and then half-spinning at Turn 3, narrowly avoiding a collision with the race leader.
As the race progressed, the chaos continued. Rosenqvist pitted for alternate tires on lap 28 but was spun out by Marcus Ericsson, resulting in a second spin into the gravel. This incident forced another caution period and allowed Palou to pit and rejoin the race in the lead. However, a restart attempt on lap 27 led to more incidents, including contact between Benjamin Pedersen and Power, as well as a wild moment for Santino Ferrucci after being punted by McLaughlin.
A disastrous caution period for Palou resulted in him falling from the lead to 15th position after pitting under yellow. The race restart on lap 42 saw Dixon’s pit strategy pay off as he emerged as the leader after a race off pit lane against his teammate Marcus Armstrong. Another failed restart attempt led to more incidents, including contact between Ericsson and Armstrong.
With 23 laps to go, O’Ward took the lead at the restart, followed by Romain Grosjean, Devlin DeFrancesco, Agustin Canapino, Callum Ilott, Palou, and Dixon. Grosjean passed O’Ward to take the lead but had a poor exit from the final turn, allowing Dixon to charge ahead and secure third position, followed closely by McLaughlin. Caution periods continued to plague the race, with another incident involving Castroneves taking out Herta.
As the race neared its conclusion, Dixon held on to the lead, with McLaughlin in second and Palou steadily making his way back through the pack. Palou managed to regain third place with 12 laps to go, but Power overtook him with four laps remaining after Palou went off at Turn 9. Lundgaard, Armstrong, O’Ward, and Ryan Hunter-Reay also made their way past the struggling Canapino.
A Championship for the Ages
In the end, Scott Dixon’s determination and composure paid off as he claimed victory and secured his record-breaking seventh championship title. The 2021 IndyCar season finale will be remembered for its chaos, drama, and the remarkable performances of the drivers who kept their heads amidst the turbulence. As the season comes to a close, fans eagerly anticipate the next chapter in the world of IndyCar racing.
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