Sports
Marcus Ericsson Wins 2022 St. Pete Grand Prix
Sunday's Grand Prix winner in St. Pete dodged "multiple incidents in a chaotic… race," the organization said.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Driver Marcus Ericsson won the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg — the season opener for the NTT IndyCar Series — Sunday after dodging “multiple incidents in a chaotic…race,” according to a news release from Grand Prix.
2022 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Ericsson earned his fourth career NTT IndyCar Series victory by 2.4113 seconds in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda over runner-up Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.
“Victory in St. Pete. Let’s goooooo,” the Swedish driver posted to Facebook. “Perfect start to the season!”
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Ericsson, who started fourth, took the lead when O’Ward slowed suddenly exiting Turn 14 on Lap 97 of the 100-lap race because his engine shut off momentarily due to a brief fire in the plenum chamber of his powerplant, the Grand Prix said.
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“I feel bad for Pato for having the issue, but that’s racing,” Ericsson said. "You need to get there to the finish line. We were having such a good weekend. The car was fantastic all the way through. We were hunting him down, putting the pressure on, and that’s when things happen. It was a hell of a start to the season.”
Six-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon finished third in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Alexander Rossi finished fourth in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet in his debut with the team after seven seasons at Andretti Autosport.
Callum Ilott rounded out the top five after starting 22nd in the No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet, with his 17 spots gained the most of any driver in the race.
O’Ward took the lead on Lap 74 when leader Scott McLaughlin in the No. 3 DEX Imaging Team Penske Chevrolet and second place Romain Grosjean in the No. 28 DHL Honda collided while dueling side by side for the lead, both plunging into the tire barriers in Turn 4, the Grand Prix said.
McLaughlin had just exited the pits on cold Firestone tires after Grosjean had pitted earlier and was on warm rubber, and McLaughlin took responsibility for the incident in a post-race interview, the Grand Prix said
McLaughlin and NTT P1 Award pole sitter Grosjean were the dominant drivers out front, leading 37 and 31 laps, respectively.
The next NTT IndyCar Series race is the PPG 375 on Sunday, April 2 on the 1.5-mile oval at Texas Motor Speedway.
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