INDIANAPOLIS — Marcus Ericsson needed to go away Components One to change into a worldwide famous person — a objective achieved Sunday when the Swedish driver received the Indianapolis 500.

Ericsson took management of the race late — largely due to teammate Scott Dixon’s rushing penalty — and had it underneath management for Chip Ganassi Racing till a crash by teammate Jimmie Johnson with 4 laps remaining introduced out a uncommon red-flag stoppage at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

IndyCar is among the many purest types of motorsports and infrequently throws synthetic cautions or points stoppages which may change the end result. However the crowd of greater than 300,000 — only some thousand shy of a sellout and the biggest sporting occasion for the reason that pandemic started — roared when IndyCar referred to as the vehicles to pit highway.

The stoppage gave Pato O’Ward and the remainder of the challengers virtually 12 minutes on pit highway to strategize the right way to catch Ericsson for the win.

The race resumed with two laps remaining and Ericsson simply acquired the leap on O’Ward. The Mexican acquired one last search for the lead that Ericsson defended, and O’Ward knew to not pressure the difficulty.

“Nah, he was going to place me within the wall if I had gone for it,” O’Ward mentioned.

A crash by Sage Karam again in site visitors introduced out the warning on the ultimate lap, and Ericsson coasted to the victory podium underneath yellow. Karam was transported to a hospital for analysis of muscular soreness.

For Ericsson, it was his third profession IndyCar victory in 52 profession begins. All three have been unusual wins in that Ericsson sealed the victories after red-flag stoppages, however he by no means assumed he had the Indy 500 received as he sat inside his cockpit ready to get again to racing.

“You’ll be able to by no means take something as a right, and there have been laps to go,” Ericsson mentioned. “I used to be praying so onerous there was not going to be a yellow, then I knew there was in all probability going to be one, and it was onerous to refocus.”

However he did, and he held on for the largest victory of his profession. Ericsson was winless in 5 seasons in F1 earlier than he packed up for the US and a transfer to North American open-wheel racing.

It’s the fifth Indy 500 win for staff proprietor Chip Ganassi, who caught a trip to the victory podium on the facet of Ericsson’s automobile. Ericsson is the second Swede to win the Indy 500 in 106 runnings, becoming a member of 1999 winner Kenny Brack.

Ericsson poured his jug of milk throughout his face, then handed the bottle to Ganassi so the boss might take his personal swig. Ganassi had not received the five hundred in 10 years and despatched 5 authentic contenders to Indy to finish the drought.

The win appeared to belong to Dixon, the six-time IndyCar champion who went greater than 234 mph in qualifying to win the pole. The New Zealander led 95 of the 200 laps on Sunday and his Honda was simply the quickest within the subject — so quick that Dixon did not decelerate sufficient on his last pit cease. The penalty took him out of competition for the win.

That left Ericsson and Tony Kanaan nonetheless within the combat for Ganassi. Kanaan, at 47 the oldest driver within the subject, thought he was in excellent place for the win sitting in fourth on the restart.

O’Ward would not relent. He signed a contract extension with Arrow McLaren SP on Friday and desperately wished the win. However he completed second, falling simply quick as he tried to present his nation a banner celebration on the largest day in motorsports; Mexico’s Sergio Perez opened Sunday with a win within the Monaco Grand Prix.

Kanaan was third in a Ganassi automobile and adopted by Felix Rosenqvist, one other Swede, who was fourth for McLaren. Rosenqvist is in a contract 12 months with McLaren and preventing for his job.

American drivers Alexander Rossi and Conor Daly completed fifth and sixth, Rossi for Andretti Autosport and Daly for Ed Carpenter Racing.

Helio Castroneves, final 12 months’s winner, completed seventh and one spot forward of Meyer Shank Racing teammate Simon Pagenaud. Reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou completed tenth in one other Ganassi entry.

Dixon light to twenty first after the penalty, and though he visited Ericsson on the victory podium, he was consoled by his spouse on pit highway after the race. Johnson completed twenty eighth in his Indy 500 debut.

“It is one staff, all people roots for everyone else, all people works collectively and all people is an open e book,” Ganassi mentioned. “You are going to have issues occur in these 500-mile races and so they’re not all the time going to fall your method. So, you already know, we had been fortunate to have 5 good vehicles and 5 good drivers.”

Honda drivers took six of the highest 9 spots, together with the win.

“I imagine we’re right here for the followers. We hear the followers,” Kanaan mentioned. “They got here right here to see a race. That was the fitting name. That’s the solely cause race management referred to as that, I feel, it is as a result of that is what folks wished to see. If I used to be within the stands, I need to see a race end underneath the inexperienced.”