Scott McLaughlin takes first Indycar victory of 2023 in strategy duel with Romain Grosjean
Scott McLaughlin took his first victory of the 2023 Indycar season after a tense strategy duel with Romain Grosjean.
The scene was set from the beginning of the race between those planning two- or three-stop races, with Grosjean and McLaughlin emerging as the lead car on each respectively.
The three-stop strategy allowed McLaughlin to get the most out of the Firestone tyres and eliminate any fuel concerns at the end of the race.
“I call it a ‘happy driver strategy,’” said McLaughlin.
“I was a lot happier doing that. We went past Grosjean there on a little bit of strategy, and I feel really good about it.”
Scott McLaughlin celebrates in victory lane at Barber Motorsports Park. (Joe Skibinski / Penske Entertainment)
With less than 30 laps to go, each driver had made their final stop when McLaughlin exited the pits just in front of Grosjean on cold tyres, and was despatched by the Frenchman on the following lap. With McLaughlin on the fresher tyres and more fuel, the Kiwi chased down Grosjean's #28 Honda, with the aquamarine rear wing delivering plenty of airtime for sponsor Delaware Life as viewers watched McLaughlin plot his revenge.
Grosjean ran wide at turn five on lap 72, with McLaughlin passing for the lead and maintaining the position until the chequered flag.
The battle between the pair promised drama after a clash last time out on the streets of St. Petersburg left them both in the wall, but they kept it clean until the end.
“We’re racers, you just get on with it,” McLaughlin said.
"We talked it out man to man, and as far as I’m concerned and he’s concerned, we race hard and fair and press on. No hard feelings between the two of us."
Romain Grosjean, Scott McLaughlin, and Will Power on the podium in Alabama. (Chris Owens / Penske Entertainment)
McLaughlin crossed the line in his #3 Good Ranchers Team Penske Chevrolet with a lead of 1.7854 seconds over Grosjean, while reigning series champion Will Power completed the podium in third after losing touch with Grosjean in the final stage of the race.
Kiwi Scott Dixon was seventh, with countryman Marcus Armstrong 11th.
Marcus Ericsson holds the lead of the drivers' standings by three points over Pato O'Ward after finishing tenth in Alabama.
The NTT Indycar Series returns 13 May for the GMR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course before the 107th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday 28 May.
2023 NTT INDYCAR Series - Round 4 Barber Motorsports Park Race Results
- Scott McLaughlin (NZ)
- Romain Grosjean
- Will Power (AUS)
- Pato O’Ward
- Alex Palou
- Christian Lundgaard
- Scott Dixon (NZ)
- Alexander Rossi
- Felix Rosenqvist
- Marcus Ericsson
- Marcus Armstrong (NZ)
- Kyle Kirkwood
- Callum Ilott
- Colton Herta
- Josef Newgarden
- Rinus VeeKay
- Graham Rahal
- Simon Pagenaud
- David Malukas
- Santino Ferucci
- Helio Castroneves
- Benjamin Pedersen
- Devlin DeFrancesco
- Jack Harvey
- Cono Daly
- Agustin Canapino
- Sting Ray Robb - DNF
