2025 Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio - Race Results

Scott Dixon took a magnificent win to become the third different winner in 2025 after Alex Palou reminds us that despite his AI livery he is still human after making a rare mistake.

Taking a bold two-stop strategy, the six-time IndyCar world champion dragged his car up into the top field to put pressure on his Chip Ganassi teammate.

While Palou looked untouchable after his third pitstop, a rare mistake from the leader saw him wide onto the grass at Turn Nine which allowed Dixon to squeeze through in the last laps of the race.

Although Palou had the bit between his teeth following the off, Dixon outsmarted his teammate at every corner, most notably at The Keyhole, squaring him off so he couldn’t get a good draft.

This is Dixon’s seventh win at Mid-Ohio and his first since the 2024 Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Celebrating with his team once out of his car, Scott said: “It was definitely a tough race. It was my fault in qualifying but it was just so much fun to try and pull off what we did and deal with what we had.

“We still had to save fuel all the way to the end so it was definitely very tight but I didn’t see what happened [to Palou]. We got a little bit lucky with that but kudos to everybody on the 10, the nine, and the eight. It was a tremendous weekend.”

Palou finished moments behind Dixon in second despite what was a nearly flawless drive from lights to flag.

Initially fighting Lundgaard off the line, Palou managed to gap the Arrow McLaren behind him and looked clear from any of his rivals out of every pitstop.

While Dixon had become a threat towards the second-half of the race, it looked like he all but stopped him from being able to make a fight back to him.

Speaking after the race, Palou lamented: “ [It] was just a stupid mistake honestly. Mistake on my part. Everybody did an amazing job on pit stops and strategies [and] we were running really good but just lost it a little bit on entry and then kind of couldn’t get the power going on.

“It sucks, it hurts a lot obviously [but] it’s still a good day but it hurts to lose it like that. At least we got it in the team so they can feel proud about their work.”

Lundgaard took the final spot on the podium after a strong drive from the Danish driver despite losing a place overall from qualifying.

Also on the three-stop strategy, this is Lundgaard’s first podium since Barber.

Sat on the pitwall looking very hot due to his decision not to wear a cooling vest or have water in the car, Lundgaard remarked: “This morning we were really good on trying to see if we could get the fuel number for a two-stop and there was a big debate going into the race if that's what we’re going to do.

“I think once you’re out there you’re not really clear on who’s on what strategy and I will honestly say at some points I didn’t even know Pato [O’Ward’] was on a two stop. We got back to the podium so we’re happy.”

A big loser from today’s race once again was Josef Newgarden who barely began the race before he found himself out of it.

Newgarden locked up his rear tyres going into the first corner of the race and went sideways before going into the gravel trap.

Graham Rahal joined him in the gravel trap as he became entangled in the incident while Newgarden’s teammate Will Power was also involved in an incident, hitting the other Penske driver, Scott McLaughlin.

While McLaughlin seemed to escape unscathed, Power sustained damage to his underwing and had to pit under Caution. Power rejoined in 25th on red wall tires but returned to the pits swiftly after his engine seemed to catch fire which ended his race.

This left only McLaughlin in the race for Penske who was absent from any of the action until the chequered flag. The Kiwi driver finished 23rd.

Once back in pitlane, Newgarden said: "[It’s] tough to not be out there. Hopefully we can fix the car, I don't think there's a lot of damage. I'd like to get back out, but you know, obviously we're sort of out of this thing.

“It's a shame having a fast PPG car, support from Team Chevy and just wanting to be in the mix.”

The weekend adds to the poor season that Team Penske has had this season following the Indy 500.

Rahal managed to get out the gravel trap and also pitted but put on a pair of black wall tires and returned to the track in 26th. He finished 24th overall.

The only other caution that appeared on track was when Christian Rasmussen had to pull over after suffering his own engine problems.

Santino Ferrucci looked to have a strong weekend before his aggressive driving got him in trouble once more after he shoved Conor Daly into the grass.

Labelled a "clown" by Daly post-race on X, Ferucci did receive a three-place position penalty for the incident and did hand the position back.

This wouldn't have quelled Daly's annoyance however as Ferrucci finished 16th while Daly could only bring the car home in 19th.

On X, Daly wrote: "This clown literally drove himself off track trying to make sure he wrecked me. Santino Ferrucci brilliant as always."

Yesterday’s hero, Kyffin Simpson managed to stay in third in the early half of the race but a mysterious issue quickly dropped him down to seventh before it came under control again. Looking to recover, another roadblock came from Simpson when he stalled in his second pitstop.

Simpson also ran over the toes of one of his pit crew on exit. Seen over the pitwall on the floor, the crew member put a brave face on and gave the camera a thumbs up to say he was ok.

Despite his best efforts to recover his race, Simpson could only finish 10th.

Kyle Kirkwood took his struggles from qualifying into the race and never looked able to get near Palou. The only other race winner but Palou heading into Mid-Ohio, the race looked like a nail in the coffin for his championship hopes even with the Spaniard's mistake.

Starting seventh, he finished the race in eighth.

Last year's Mid-Ohio race winner, Pato O'Ward, also drove a strong race for Arrow McLaren, finishing fifth after starting in 14th after eliminated in Q1 group One.

O'Ward's old teammate, Felix Rosenqvist, seemed to follow him through the grid taking his Ozzy Osbourne/Black Sabbath liveried Meyer Shank to sixth after starting 15th.