Indianapolis GP: Will power takes first IndyCar win of 2017

Power lost the lead to Castroneves at the first round of pitstops, as the Australian took the slower, harder compound of tyre. Castroneves was able to build a gap of four seconds, but this closed up again before the second of three trips to the pitlane for fuel and tyres.

The lead changed hands at the second round of stops, this time in favour of Power who jumped back into the lead after Castroneves struggled to lap Tony Kanaan, who was running out of position following a puncture after being hit by Marco Andretti on the first lap.

From then on, the 2014 champion did not look back, and took his second win on the Indianapolis road course. Power was pushed by Dixon in the final few laps of the race, but held on to take his first victory of 2017.

Castroneves, who saved his mandatory run on the harder tyres for the final stint, slipped back to fifth.

He was passed by Dixon, with 15 of the 85 laps to go, was then jumped by Ryan Hunter-Reay five laps later, and by team-mate Simon Pagenaud on lap 80.

Graham Rahal took sixth from 20th on the grid, ahead of Max Chilton, who started 14th. Both drivers started the race on the harder compound of tyre, and put in aggressive performances to climb through the field.

Juan Pablo Montoya finished tenth in his first race of the season, gradually slipping down the order early on from fifth on the grid, while two-time Indy road course winner Pagenaud had a somewhat uneventful race to fourth from seventh except for passing Castroneves late on.

Josef Newgarden was running well before serving a pitlane speeding penalty, which turned into a second penalty for the same infraction while serving the first. He eventually finished 11th, ahead of Takuma Sato who came through to 12th after starting last.

Alexander Rossi had one of his feistiest races in IndyCar to date, and was rewarded with eighth, ahead of Spencer Pigot, who finished ninth despite starting down the order and stalling in the pits.

The day was a complete disaster for St Petersburg winner Sebasiten Bourdais, who suffered an engine failure just three laps into the event. Charlie Kimball pulled off the track after 32 laps at the same point of the circuit. Despite this, the race ran caution-free for the first time.

RESULT

DRIVERS' STANDINGS