By Alvi
Alvi discusses IndyCar as the 2021 season comes to an end -
The 2021 IndyCar series has come to a finish, with 24-year-old Spaniard Alex Palou taking the title in what is only his sophomore season. Questions were being raised about a possible career for Palou in F1, but he assured his fans, “I have no interest in Formula 1 unless I can win.” Many people were surprised that Colton Herta, a fellow sophomore, didn't have a bigger impact on the Championship standings, given that he was the only other driver to match Palou's three season wins. Colton’s father Bryan claimed, “It’s hard to believe Colton finished 5th. Not only has this season been a huge success for the young guns in the American single seater series, but it has also been a huge success for the aero screen. Many were sceptical of Penske's attitude to safety with the new technical standards for the 2021 season however they were proven incorrect, and the revised aerodynamic model has also made the sport faster.
Battle of the Rookies:
Both Romain Grosjean and Scott McLaughlin were battling out for Rookie of The Year (ROTY), With the Kiwi finishing P14 and the 10-time Formula 1 podium sitter ending up in 15th. Although Romain secured 2 more top 5 finishes and a stunning pole position in the Indianapolis Road course, McLaughlin’s consistency was proven to be vital allowing him to outscore the Swiss-born Frenchman by 33 points. Majority of IndyCar’s fans felt that Grosjean deserved ROTY given that he was in a much smaller team. Fortunately, this was also the thoughts of Michael Andretti who has given an Andretti Autosport seat to Romain for the 2022 season in which is arguable one of the most decorative teams in the Series. It is sad as the same couldn’t be said for Jimmie Johnson (5-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion). There was no doubt that the transition from stock car to open wheel racing, but this was definitely a surprise to the 46-year-old.
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