O’Ward qualified third for IndyCar’s season-opener and held station there for most of the race, behind Andretti Autosport’s Romain Grosjean and Colton Herta in the first stint, then behind Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin and again Grosjean in the middle stint. The Mexican was therefore in prime position to inherit the lead when McLaughlin and Grosjean tangled on lap 72.
Despite O’Ward sprinting away from Ericsson’s Honda-powered Chip Ganassi Racing entry following the final restart, getting his lead up to 2.7s in two laps, this was mainly due to the Swede making a mistake at the restart and thereafter the gap began to close.
