First winner Palou whips the heavy weights in Alabama

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Chip Ganassi Racing recruit Alex Palou fended off IndyCar legends Will Power and Scott Dixon to claim his maiden IndyCar win in the series' opening round at Barber Motorsport's Park.

Sunday's race unfolded around a battle of strategies, and the two-stop plan finally adopted by Palou coupled with a flawless drive by the 24-year-old Spaniard delivered the winning ticket.

Palou, who had started third, was left to deal with the big boys snapping at his heels in the closing stages of the race, but never put a foot wrong, edging Penske's Power by just 0.401s at the checkered flag.

Romain Grosjean's first IndyCar outing yielded a points scoring P10 finish that delighted the former Haas driver who was happy to get "back at what I love doing".

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.