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IndyCar veteran Scott Dixon finished third in a chaotic season-opener in Florida on Monday that caught out fellow Kiwi Scott McLaughlin.
McLaughlin was on course to defend his St Petersburg title from last year when he was dominating a thrilling duel with pole-setter Romain Grosjean, only to crash heavily with his rival on lap 72 of 100.
Grosjean was forced out of the race and McLaughlin copped a penalty for causing the accident, eventually coming home in 13th.
Luis Santana
Scott Dixon held his nerve to podium in the opening race of the IndyCar season in Florida.
Dixon, who had triggered a six-car crash just seconds into the race, played a clever strategy to get on the podium after starting ninth.
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Marcus Armstrong, the third Kiwi in the field, finished 11th and top rookie in a race won by Marcus Ericsson who took advantage of a late car malfunction from Pato O’Ward with two laps to go.
The field was decimated with a separate multi-car accident on lap 42 removing three drivers.
Eventually 10 cars were eliminated from the 27 starters.
Injuries were minimal though Britain’s Jack Harvey was taken to hospital for further examinations.
McLaughlin was apologetic for role in removing Grosjean as he flew out of pit lane to edge ahead of the French driver.
Grosjean had the speed to get alongside the Kiwi who locked up as they cornered with both cars hitting the tyre-wall.
“I’m very sorry to Romain,” McLaughlin said.
“We were both going for the win and I made a big mistake pushing on cold tyres.
“I don’t race like that, I apologise, I just made a stuff-up. You have your good days and your bad days. I was racing hard, I’m very gutted.”
Dixon also had an issue coming out of pit lane mid-race where he was cautioned and had to let four cars pass, but he didn’t see that as a factor in his result.
“The car was fantastic to get the foul strategy we wanted. It was a wild race with a lot of crashes, I’m just pleased to finish,” the veteran said.
His good friend and former team mate Felix Rosenqvist wasn’t so fortunate after Dixon wheel-tapped him heading into the second turn just after the start.
Rosenqvist bumped the wall and slowed down with the rear marker cars piling up behind him in spectacular fashion and five forced out through damage.
“I felt just a small rub and then figured it must have been a slightly bigger hit,” Dixon, a six-time champion and the most experienced driver in the field, said.
“I feel really bad for Felix, he’s a best friend.”
It was a brutal introduction to the IndyCar scene for Armstrong who looked solid and was just pipped for a top-10 placing.
But it was a good day for his new team at Chip Ganassi Racing with Ericsson and Dixon on the podium.
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