Alex Palou, podium in Long Beach

The American Joseph Newgarden (Team Penske) won this Sunday Acura Honda Grand Prix of Long Beach (California. USA), by winning ahead of the French Romain Grosjean (Andretti Autosport) and the Spanish alex palou (Chip Ganassi/Honda), who completed the podium.

newgardenthe IndyCar champion in 2017 and 2019, added his second victory of the season, after winning the Texas oval circuit on March 20th.

“We still have a long way to go, but we have a good vehicle and a good team of engineers”assured at the end of an emotional career newgardenwho won for the first time in Long Beach.

The American, born in Nashville 31 years ago, he now leads the championship with 118 points, five more than Scott McLaughlin and fifteen more than Palou. The Catalan, current IndyCar champion, was third overall with 103 points, in the middle of a match, with Power just one point behind.

In this way the California domain of Colton Hertha, who has won the last three races held in this state. He won in Long Beach in September, at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey and on the same circuit, in the 2019 edition. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 race was not held.

But this Sunday ended his career on lap 55 due to an accident due to poor control of his brakes on a curve.

It is run on one of the most amazing circuits on the calendar IndyCarsa Long Beach and has a layout developed each year just for race contention, always hiding new unknowns for pilots.

And in fact there is no shortage of clashes against the protective walls, which are led by Colton Herthawho retired from racing on lap 55 after too late to brake in a corner and fall into walls.

“I braked late and I hit myself, that’s what happened. I really feel bad,” he said as he left the race, visibly hurt by the loss of the opportunity to fight for the victory within his reach.

And that Herta achieved the “pole” with tremendous performance in the classifications, where she broke the circuit record.

A Hertha join the swedish Marcus Ericsonthe French Simon Pagenaud or the American Jimmy Johnsoneveryone has problems to control their single-seater on the narrow curve of the circuit.

the accident of Hertha opened the doors for Newgarden, who attacked and overtook Palou to take first place, while Ericsson’s retreat, at that time third, allowed Grosjean to put pressure on the Spanish driver, until as he took second place with 17 laps remaining.

The trio of GP leaders arrived within three laps of closing, in which the three drivers separated by less than two seconds.

But Newgarden had no trouble defending their top spot and were able to celebrate their second straight win at the start of the season.

The next race will be held on May 1, when the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama (USA) is scheduled.