Lundgaard scores maiden IndyCar win in Toronto

©IndyCar/ChrisOwens

Christian Lundgaard became Denmark's first IndyCar winner on Sunday in Toronto, but the Rahal Letterman Lanigan driver was made to fight for his first win.

Lundgaard launched his race from pole position and dominated proceedings during his opening stint. But the Dane was set back in the wake of a succession of events and pit stops that followed a heavy crash by Romain Grosjean.

Eventually, Lundgaard battled his way back to the front, overtaking championship leader Alex Palou, who was running with a damaged front wing, for the lead and never looking back thereafter.

©IndyCar/ChrisOwens

"I’m pretty drained from energy right now," said the 21-year-old former Alpine hopeful.

"The Hy-Vee Vivid Clear Rx car has been fast all weekend, and I said it before the race that we had a car that was fast enough to win. We pulled it off.

"This team, they do deserve this. If you look at where we were earlier this season and even last year at this point, we were nowhere near this. I’m just extremely happy for everybody right now."

Lundgaard delivered to RLL its first IndyCar win since Takuma Sato's triumph in the Indy 500.

As he celebrated in Victory lane, Lundgaard was handed an electric razor to shave the moustache he had grown during the offseason and which he vowed to keep until he earned his first IndyCar victory. Done!

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.