After its pandemic cancellation in 2020, the hope was that the Laguna Seca race would more closely resemble the good event of its return in 2019 than the processions of yesteryear. Fortunately, the Dallara IR18 continues its list of great successes on conventional circuits where overtaking has never been easy, and the Monterey Grand Prix provided two hours of unparalleled spectacle, with position changes, incidents, comings and goings in the order and overtaking of ordago in the Corkscrew and other areas.
Nobody could face an imperial Colton Herta that equaled his father’s two wins at this track, but Álex Palou was the only one who threatened to achieve it throughout the entire event. He did not succeed, but the Spanish driver did manage to extend his lead by 10 more points with a Pato O’Ward who could only be fifth, leaving Palou in an unbeatable situation for the final event in Long Beach to be proclaimed champion. All in all, the show was put on by a Romain Grosjean who advanced from 13th place to get on the podium based on overtaking in a great final stint.