Christian Lundgaard is back in victory lane.
The Danish driver steered his No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet to a 4.6-second victory Saturday in the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course, ending a 47-race winless streak dating back to July 2023.
“Very happy,” Lundgaard said after the win. “I really didn’t expect this today. I hoped for it. This was a long wait.”
It was anything but a clean race to get there. Three full-course cautions, multiple chain-reaction crashes and enough strategic curveballs to keep pit lane crews on edge from green flag to checkered made for a wild afternoon on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile circuit.
The Key Move
Lundgaard, who started fourth, made his race-winning pass on Lap 68, slipping past David Malukas through the Turns 5-6 chicane after the two ran side by side through Turns 3 and 4. From there, he pulled away and never looked back.
Malukas, who led a race-high 27 laps, settled for second in his No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet — agonizingly close to his first career win. Graham Rahal rounded out the podium in third.
Championship Picture
Points leader Alex Palou, who had won three straight on this road course entering Saturday, never seriously contended after getting shuffled back in the opening-lap chaos. He finished fifth, but still extended his series lead over Kyle Kirkwood — who finished ninth after a slow pit stop on Lap 39 essentially ended his chances — to 27 points.
What’s Next
All eyes now turn to the Indianapolis 500 on May 24. Lundgaard will look to replicate what Palou did in 2025 — sweep the road course race and “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Practice on the oval opens Tuesday.