Perfect Palou comes out on top in Detroit street fight

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©IndyCar

Alex Palou started his race on the bumpy streets of Detroit from pole and ended his day at the top of the field, fending off in between his rivals in a series of fierce wheel-o-wheel battles.

The Chip Ganassi Racing driver held off Penske's Will Power in the closing stages of the race, marked by a succession of caution periods, to take his second IndyCar win of the season, building in the process a 51-point lead for himself in the championship.

Behind the leading duo, the quest for the final spot on the podium was a family affair with Arrow McLaren teammates Felix Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi pulling no punches against each other.

The Swedish driver eventually prevailed as his intra-team rival struck the wall which also allowed CGR's Scott Dixon to slip through into fourth.

"The No. 10 Ridgeline Lubricants car was on point today," Palou said after his victorious effort in downtown Detroit.

"Super proud of the job we did. It was tricky there at the end, man, with those (worn) tyres couldn’t really get to temperature (on restarts)."

©IndyCar

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.