From the start polesitter Alexander Rossi moved from right to left twice to break the tow and his efforts weren’t in vain as he retained the lead ahead of Team Penske-Chevrolet’s Josef Newgarden, who like him was starting on alternates.
Behind them, Alex Palou held third, while Ganassi-Honda teammate Marcus Ericsson held off the lead primary-tired car, the Arrow McLaren SP-Chevrolet of Pato O’Ward who tried to sneak up the inside at Turn 1 but couldn’t hold it and understeered a little so the pair made slight contact. O’Ward’s loss of momentum there and early braking for tight downhill left-handed Turn 5 meant he was easy meat for Romain Grosjean whose Andretti car went around the outside of him to claim fifth. Behind O’Ward were fellow primary runners Scott McLaughlin in the second Penske and Simon Pagenaud of Meyer Shank Racing-Honda.
