Five takeaways: Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio

Written by Evan Roberts, Edited by Aaron Carroll 

In the second edition of DIVEBOMB’s newest weekly IndyCar segment, we take a look at some of the most pressing topics from last weekend at Mid Ohio. With Scott Dixon coming out on top courtesy of a rare mistake by teammate Álex Palou, we have finally welcomed a third different driver to victory lane after an astonishing 10 races.

1. VeeKay deserves a top seat

   

   Credit: Dominic Loyer

What seemed to be a season on the sidelines for Rinus VeeKay at the start of the year has turned into the opportunity of a lifetime for the talented Dutchman. 

Having spent the whole of his IndyCar career, before this season with Ed Carpenter Racing, when it was announced Alexander Rossi would be racing the No.20 car alongside Christian Rasmussen for 2025 it left VeeKay with no drive. 

With most of the seats already taken, the only available drive would be with Dale Coyne Racing. A team that, with utmost respect, does not have the best machinery on the grid. 

Nevertheless the Dutchman signed on the dotted line and throughout the season has been the most well rounded version we’ve seen yet from VeeKay.

Looking only at the results, with no podiums and only six top-ten finishes there could be a claim to the validity of this pick. However, if you compare his results to the performance of the car and where that car should be and has been in the past years, he excels. 

Mid-Ohio has been yet another fine example of this, having qualified a lowly 26th, behind his teammate Jacob Abel for the first time all season. What followed was a show of both excellent pace and race craft to climb up 17 positions and claim his third top-ten finish in a row. 

With contracts expiring at the end of the season, VeeKay’s impressive run of results seem to have gone unfortunately under the radar. Which in DIVEBOMB’s opinion, is a travesty. A team such as Arrow McLaren - who have shown a willingness for driver shakeups in the past - should look to give VeeKay his first taste of front of the grid machinery, one he would undoubtedly relish. 

2. Palou is in fact human 

Credit: Dominic Loyer

In what has been one of the most dominant seasons in IndyCar history, a rare momentary lapse of concentration for Palou meant the win at Mid-Ohio would slip through his grasp with less than ten laps to go. 

What looked to be a routine weekend for the Spaniard, starting with pole position on the Saturday around a circuit where track position is crucial. Palou carried his blistering qualifying pace into Sunday's main feature, as at the time of his race-defining mistake, he boasted an impressive ten second gap to Christian Lundgaard who was the closest driver on the slower three stop strategy. 

Despite it being the most noticeable incident, Palou almost fared the same fate earlier in the race where he ran wide on the exit of turn 3. In that instance, he managed to hustle the car back onto the track and lose very little time. 

If anything, this only goes to show the talent that Palou possesses. The fact that a poor result for the Spaniard is second, and anything other than a win feels like an underperformance from the three time champion is outstanding. Whilst the results have become machine-like in their inevitability, Mid-Ohio has gone to show he is in fact human and does make mistakes. 

3. Simpson and Siegel starting to deliver on their potential

Credit: Dominic Loyer

This one comes as a double feature as both Kyffin Simpson and Nolan Siegel have had similar fates so far this season. What started rather lacklustre, being comfortably the slowest within their respective teams, this weekend has been a breakthrough for each in their own right. 

For starters, they both made it to the fast six. The maiden appearance for Simpson this season. Whereas Siegel featured for a second time. In the process qualifying ahead of their more experienced teammates in the shape of Scott Dixon and Pato O’Ward.

Once the green flag was waved both would again impress with decent starts. Especially Simpson who moved up from third to second and would keep a steady gap to race leader Palou. 

All his hard work in the race for a podium position would unfortunately be undone by a stall in the pit lane. Regardless, strong pace all weekend is nothing to be ashamed of and stalling is something that even the best drivers have fallen victim to.

In the case of Siegel, despite some decent qualifying performances this season, he has so far been unable to show the same speed during the race. Whilst he once again came home the third best of the Arrow McLaren’s, don’t be surprised to see him also fighting at the front for podiums in the near future. 

4. Things only getting worse for Team Penske

   

   Credit: Dominic Loyer

In what has been a horrible year for Team Penske, this weekend has been the most woeful yet. Only one car finishing the race - down in 23rd - means a new low for an organisation that has been held to such high regard as the series most successful team. 

It seems we’re having the same conversation, week upon week, about how the Penske drivers disappointed, underperforming or were downright incredibly unlucky. 

This time however, it seems for the first time this season there was an outright lack of speed for all three cars. Nowhere else was this more apparent than in qualifying, where none of the cars managed to make it through the group phase. Qualifying 18th, 21st and 22nd. 

From that position you’d have thought the cars would be charging through the field. Instead they’d be dropping down and out of it like flies. First Newgarden, who wouldn’t even make it past the first corner in a bizarre crash where he locked the rear tyres under braking, careering off into the wall on the left before grounding to a halt in the gravel. 

Next would be Will Power, who became the second retirement of the race following a mechanical issue on lap 11. 

Lastly would be the only Penske driver to finish the race, Scott McLaughlin who ended up P23 and a lap down. But at least the thirsty threes were the fastest car on pit lane right? 

There will be much to talk about going into Iowa on the weekend, a track where Penske has had so much success previously. Is it finally time for the team to have its turnaround this season?

5. Ericsson’s seat could be at risk

   

   Credit: Dominic Loyer

This one could seem a little harsh given 12th isn’t a disastrous performance from Marcus Ericsson. Saying that, yet again the Swede crossed the line as the lowest finishing Andretti Global driver. In fact he’s found himself the lowest placed of the three in all but two races. In those two, being the second best driver at that. 

It has been an incredibly underwhelming season from Ericsson. Despite his best performance coming at the Indianapolis 500, where he crossed the line in second place before his eventual disqualification, even then it was a race he really should have won. 

A lapse of focus to allow Palou to make an easy move down his inside into turn 1. The eventual struggle to overtake which followed caused yet again be another painful 2025 moment for Ericsson. 

Motor racing is a brutal sport and despite being an Indianapolis 500 champion, his performances of late have not been of someone who looks comfortable within his No.28 car. 

Someone who has performed in a 28 branded Andretti car this season is Dennis Hauger in Indy NXT. The Norwegian has taken like a duck to water to racing in the states racking up yet another win in Mid-Ohio. 

His most recent makes it five for the season and gives Hauger an almost 50 point gap at the top of the standings. Given his lightning pace and incredible consistency it wouldn’t be a surprise for Andretti Global to snap up the Norwegian to a long term contract as soon as possible.