Lando Norris survived a mid-race spin at COTA to take an impressive win on his IndyCar IRacing debut, the Briton leading home Arrows McLaren SP teammate Pato O'Ward.
Norris was IndyCar's special guest for the virtual series' fifth round and lost no time staking his claim, the IndyCar iRacing rookie taking pole and leading Penske's Will Power off the grid at the start.
©IndyCar
Norris who spent long hours during the week getting acquainted with his IndyCar, with former real life McLaren F1 performance engineer Andrew Jarvis in the wings advising the young charger, was on it from the outset in the 32-lap event.
After building himself a comfortable lead in the first stage of the race, Norris pitted on lap 11 just prior to the competition caution period from which he emerged sixth while Power took the lead.
Norris resumed his charge, quickly overhauling Scott Dixon and Santino Ferrucci, but a mistake on the exit of COTA's final corner out the McLaren driver into a spin that set him back.
However, a few laps later, Power threw away his top position with a spin of his own, induced by a trip over the curbs in the essess on his out lap. The Aussie recovered only to spin again and nearly take out Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin.
O'Ward was then left in charge of the proceedings but Norris had not said his last word. The 22-year-old reeled in his teammate but then made his second stop with nine laps to go.
©IndyCar
The final rotations continued with successive leaders O'Ward and Alex Palou handing first place to Felix Rosenqvist who was attempting an all-in one-stop strategy.
But the Swede was also caught out, his spin handing back the lead to Norris, with O'Ward in pursuit and gaining thanks to having more push to passes than his teammate.
Norris kept it together however and charged to the checkered flag to take a sensational win on his IndyCar iRacing Challenge debut, the McLaren man beating O'Ward, Rosenqvist, Mclaughlin and Ferrucci.
"The spin was for the fans... oh I'm sweating!"@LandoNorris' reaction to winning at @COTA in the @iRacing @IndyCar Challenge is priceless. pic.twitter.com/zcgrnNAsEp
— IndyCar on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) April 25, 2020
"Yeah was not easy at all, which was all done to myself," he told NBCSN. "Obviously the spin in the second stint, but yeah it was a touch race, especially with Pato closing down with the new tyres at the end.
"I didn't think I was going to get back to the lead so I was gutted."
Norris admitted that Power's unexpected blunder likely handed him the race.
"That was a key, Will spinning, to allow me to get back up to P1," he concluded.
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