P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The ongoing volley between Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing at Portland International Raceway went in favor of Penske drivers for the third time in the last five races, breaking the tie between …
The ongoing competition between Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing at Portland International Raceway saw Penske drivers prevailing for the third time in the last five races, breaking the tie between the NTT IndyCar Series’ two dominant organizations. In 2019, it was Will Power from Team Penske who clinched victory, while in 2021, Ganassi’s Alex Palou claimed the top spot. The 2022 victory belonged to Penske’s Scott McLaughlin, and in 2023, Palou secured another win for Ganassi. Will Power’s recent commanding win at the BitNile.com Grand Prix of Portland was largely attributed to better tire longevity, giving him an edge over Palou throughout the race. Power’s strategist’s decision to save a fresh set of the faster alternate tires during the final pit stop proved crucial, as Palou struggled with worn-out tires, unable to match Power’s pace. Palou acknowledged that their tire choices, influenced by their qualifying performance, didn’t work in their favor, leaving him unable to challenge Power’s dominant performance. Despite Palou briefly closing the gap during traffic encounters, Power was able to maintain a comfortable lead and exploit the advantage of his car’s performance on newer tires to secure a decisive victory.
