Grosjean snatches third IndyCar podium at Laguna Seca

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Romain Grosjean enjoyed a spectacular charge to his third IndyCar podium of the year at Laguna Seca on Sunday.

The former Haas F1 driver had started the penultimate round of the NTT IndyCar Series P13 but Grosjean came into his own in the late stages of the race, slicing through traffic and shaving 7 seconds in ten laps off the leading margin of front-runners Colton Herta and Alex Palou.

The Dale Coyne Racing driver's late charge, helped by a set of fresher tyres, was marked by a side-by-side, wheel-banging overtake on Jimmie Johnson at Laguna Seca's famous 'Corkscrew' with seven laps to go.

©IndyCar

"The last stint was very fun because we were on new tyres and fresher than everyone else," Grosjean said.

"So, that was exciting. It’s been a great day. Sorry to Jimmie for the contact out there. He was trying to protect Alex (Palou, teammate), and I wanted to go chase Alex.

"I had a lot of passes on the Corkscrew, which was good. Felt a bit like Zanardi, which is not a bad thing.

"P13 to P3 today, it’s a pretty good day. Laguna Seca, I love you. That’s all I can say."

Read also: McLaren SP 'would consider' Vandoorne for third IndyCar seat

Herta's second victory of the season was also his second consecutive win at Laguna Seca, a track record that matches the tally of his father and strategist Bryan Herta, who won at the venue in 1998 and 1999.

Palou's runner-up spot in Sunday's race inched the Chip Ganassi Racing driver closer to the NTT IndyCar Series that which will go down to wire at Long Beach next week.

Ahead of the showdown, the Spaniard increased his lead over fellow title contenders, Arrow McLaren SP's Pato O'Ward and Penske's Josef Newgarden, to 35 and 48 points respectively.

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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.