IndyCar Takeaways: Grand Prix of Detroit
- Evan Roberts
- 11 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Last weekend marked the third anniversary of the Detroit Grand Prix leaving Belle Isle back in 2023. Similar to the two previous editions, there was plenty of mayhem. Overall, the race had six cautions and 61 pit stops; 19 drivers finished, yet only one could be crowned the winner.
To nobody's surprise, it was once again Álex Palou on top for his fourth win of the season and a third on a street course. While his 71 laps at the front of the field may have looked dominant, it was a close race that featured six different leaders and plenty of challenges for the Spaniard.
Notwithstanding, the race wasn’t entirely at the front of the field and there is still plenty to unpack.
Could Newgarden be looking to split from Team Penske?
Over recent weekends, the IndyCar rumour mill has been in full swing. In the fallout from the Indianapolis 500, two-time winner Josef Newgarden has been one of the major talking points in next season's driver market.
The American has been with Team Penske for 10 seasons now and, up to this point, has been the typification of the ‘Penske Perfect’ slogan that has followed the team for so long. His polished demeanour in interviews and public appearances has left him in a safe space with the media for the most part. Yet this weekend, something slipped.
In an interview concluding a race in which he finished 10th, Newgarden was asked about his struggles through the weekend as he continues to feel the effects of his substantial restart incident at Turn 4 of IMS last weekend.
“I knew it wasn't gonna be good and it wasn't,” Newgarden said. “I don't want to speak on it too much - it is what it is.”
In said crash, he sustained an injury to his foot. The driver of the No.2 Chevy has not talked about the specifics of the injury but was seen walking around in Detroit still under the aid of a crutch and walking boot.
Despite winning the award for the highest mover of the racing, having gone from 21st to 10th, he was very candid in his feelings regarding the weekend and the pain that he experienced, going as far as to suggest both he and his team may have been better off had he not competed.
“If they didn't want me to drive, I would have accepted that,” he said. “If they wanted to win the race, you put Felipe [Nasr] in this car. He was ready to rock.”
The weekend being shared with IMSA meant Penske Porsche’s Nasr was on standby to relieve Newgarden of his duties, yet the call never came.
With Newgarden’s contract set to expire at the end of the year, is this seemingly less-than-perfect response a sign of the times for Newgarden? Penske has set a precedent by replacing former teammate Will Power last season; might Newgarden be next on the chopping block?
Should IndyCar continue to race a week after the 500?
Following on from Newgarden’s woes at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the injuries both he and Alexander Rossi suffered, the question was planted: should there be more of a gap to the next race following such a momentous event?
Not only would it assist drivers still in need of rest following their injuries, but it would also provide time to digest what both the audience and drivers alike had witnessed.
The 2026 Indy 500 will go down in history as one of the greatest motorsport events of all time, given the closest finish in the race's illustrious history. Yet only a few days later, everyone was forced to move on to the next race.
While there is something to be said about maintaining momentum following such an occasion, even just one extra week would allow for far more discussion. More importantly, it would allow the teams and drivers a well-deserved break from what had been three weeks of continuous hard work and dedication.
It has felt over the past few years that there has been fatigue throughout the paddock and among spectators with four weeks of constant action. Especially as the race has moved to downtown Detroit, where the circuit has received a largely negative fan reaction, there seems to be less care towards the race. Instead, it has appeared as just something that has been tagged onto the end of the month to maintain tradition.
It also would let Detroit stand alone as an event rather than be a let-down in comparison to the style and stardom of Indianapolis.
RLL is showing an impressive upturn in form
On a more positive note, it was a good weekend for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL), with two cars in the top 10 and the other having its most promising of the season so far.
The first of two top-10 finishers was Graham Rahal, who finished third for the third time this season. The last time he achieved the feat of three podiums in a season was back in 2020. It has been a major turnaround for both him and the team, who have endured what has felt like endless criticism over their poor spell seemingly spanning multiple years.
Detroit itself was a confusing race for RLL: good speed in qualifying, yet Rahal found himself spun by Kyffin Simpson and facing the wrong way after 40 laps.
The comeback was centred largely on making the right decisions regarding cautions and taking advantage of others' misfortune. However, when he got himself into the position, he looked comfortable. Where in years prior the RLL cars had slipped down the pack due to poor tyre wear, they looked strong this time towards the end of a stint.
It was not only Rahal who benefited from this. Louis Foster, in his IndyCar career, has tended to struggle as stints progress and the grip falls away. This season, he has been able to convert the qualifying pace shown in his rookie season to a race stint - and the results have been evident.
Two finishes of seventh place in the last three races are a major upturn in form from a driver who had shown a great deal of promise yet had not cracked the top 10 in a race until the Indianapolis road course two rounds prior.
Lastly, in similar circumstances to Foster last season, Mick Schumacher has struggled so far in his rookie season. While he has had more pace-related issues surrounding an injury to his hand, Detroit was a high point for the German.
Running as high as third at one point in the race due to fortuitous pit-stop timing, it was a sneak peek of the speed Schumacher has shown at times throughout his still young career. While he ultimately made an error when restarting in a podium position, running deep in Turn 5, Detroit marked a major step forward in pure pace, as through early stints he managed to keep pace with much more experienced and on-form drivers like David Malukas.
Detroit is proving to be a cool but clumsy stop on the schedule
This could be contentious. Yes, there are some very clear flaws with the circuit; the constant cautions, a less-than-picturesque landscape and lack of corner variation are just a few. But there are a few positive things to take from the event.
For one, it always provides some sort of drama. This year, the main pieces centred on Team Penske. Between Scott McLaughlin and Will Power’s punchy moves on track and Newgarden’s similar attitude off it, there was plenty to talk about. Among the chaos, it feels as if Malukas, who finished a lowly 18th, was largely forgotten about, despite being Palou’s closest challenger in the championship before the race.
Another point, while being a fairly small one, is something quite cool. The double-sided pit lane, while visually confusing at times, is a clever concept that adds to whatever charm the race does provide. Similarly, the podium, which hangs off the side of a bridge, is a cool feature that adds to the spectacle of what otherwise is a grey canyon of concrete.
