Takuma Sato triumphed at PortlandDixon, Rossi keep title fight alive

Takuma Sato (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing) wins the Grand Prix of Portland, the penultimate race of the 2018 IndyCar Series season. It’s third IndyCar victory in a career for Sato, coming fifteen months after his sensational triumph at last year’s Indianapolis 500.

Takuma Sato shared a podium with Ryan Hunter-Reay (Andretti Autosport) and Sebastien Bourdais (Dale Coyne Racing). Spencer Pigot finished fourth.

The Japanese driver in the #30 Honda reached the victory lane in a chaotic race which started with a first-lap crash in turn 3. The championship leader Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing) participated in an accident but his #9 Honda was relatively unscathed. Later in the race, he sensationally recovered to finish fifth and to retain the championship lead ahead of season’s finale in Sonoma on September 16.

Alexander Rossi (Andretti Autosport) also had a tough race, leading for race-high 32 laps but losing plenty of positions when he ended up on the wrong side of the caution flag. However, he managed to reach the eighth place and to stay in a contention for the title, 29 points behind Dixon. The season’s finale at Sonoma Raceway is bringing double points so Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden and Will Power also have mathematical chances for the title.