Felix Rosenqvist deployed an alternative strategy in Sunday’s Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio as he attempted to overcome a grid penalty in round nine of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.
Demoted six places on the grid following an unapproved engine change, which also affected two other drivers this weekend, Rosenqvist tried his best to battle back from 19th on the grid in Sunday’s 80-lap encounter.
The race, which simultaneously phased in INDYCAR’s new hybrid engine era, proved largely uneventful, leading Rosenqvist and Meyer Shank Racing to explore an alternative three-stop strategy in a bid to offset themselves from the competition.
With no caution periods or safety car interventions, however, the main two-stop strategy proved superior. Rosenqvist did lead home the three-stopping cars, but it ultimately was enough for just 14th place.
“P14 today. It was a very stagnant race, not much going on,” says Felix Rosenqivst. “We actually made up a lot of spots in the beginning, going from 19th to 14th. We chose the three-stop strategy which I don’t think was the right decision, but it also wasn’t way worse than the two-stopper. We were the best car to finish on that strategy, which was at least something.
“We had great pace here to be honest; we just started in the back and that hurt us in the end. I learned a lot of good things today. We’re just waiting for that good result and it’s going to come soon.”
With the first half of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season now completed, Rosenqvist holds ninth in the championship standings. The series is back on track next weekend, July 13-14, staging a double-header event at Iowa Speedway.
RESULTS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | Rd. 9
Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (USA)
1: Pato O’Ward (MEX), Arrow McLaren, 80 laps
2: Alex Palou (ESP), Ganassi, +0.499s
3: Scott McLaughlin (NZL), Penske, +16.155s
4: Colton Herta (USA), Andretti, +24.872s
5: Marcus Ericsson (SWE), Andretti, +31.680s
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14: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Meyer Shank Racing, +51.816s
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | After 9/17 races
1: Alex Palou (ESP), Ganassi, 329 p.
2: Will Power (AUS), Penske, 281 p.
3: Pato O’Ward (MEX), Arrow McLaren, 259 p.
4: Scott Dixon (NZL), Ganassi, 258 p.
5: Colton Herta (USA), Andretti, 249 p.
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9: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Meyer Shank Racing, 192 p.