Marcus Ericsson’s Markham masterclass came down to seven crucial laps

He never pulled up any trees in Formula 1 and, even during his subsequent IndyCar career, Marcus Ericsson has struggled to shake off the ‘pay-driver’ tag – despite his 2022 Indy 500 victory. But the Swede has earned a reputation for being dynamite on brand-new street circuits. Justly so, judging by his performance at the inaugural Markham race, where he celebrated his contract extension with Andretti Global into 2027 with an astonishing win.

The unreadiness of the track just outside Toronto – IndyCar’s former Canadian host city – played further into Ericsson’s improvisatory skill set. Like a return to the throw-it-together-at-the-last-minute 1980s, bridges, barriers and cabling were not finished, to the embarrassment of IndyCar.

Ericsson ran in the top four in the early stages and, if this were a Drive of the Month for half a race, the award would go to Louis Foster. The moustachioed Hampshireman was on fire, but triggered one of the breaks in a caution-infested middle third of the race when he threw his Rahal Letterman Lanigan car into the barriers after clipping the inside wall while passing… Ericsson.

Following the final caution, it was Ericsson in front, but he needed one final pitstop – unlike the pursuing Romain Grosjean. It seemed that the stars were aligning for the unpredictable French ex-F1 racer’s first single-seater win since his GP2 days in 2011. But, remarkably, Ericsson pulled out 13sec in just seven laps before calling in. He got back on track in seventh position, before picking those ahead off one by one, including clattering past team-mate Will Power at the very tight hairpin.

Once he’d cleared Álex Palou for second, he hauled in Grosjean, who was powerless to defend on his older tyres when Ericsson made his move four laps from home.

“I wanted to keep Palou in second place – I knew with that gap it was safe,” sighed Grosjean. “Then Ericsson came.” Ericsson’s take? “We might not have got the results we deserved every weekend, but I felt we really deserved this.” He did, emphatically.

Driver briefing notes

Pajari wins again in WRC and Kirkwood soars like an eagle

● IndyCar’s rush of fixtures has meant a host of races either side of Marcus Ericsson’s Markham masterclass, pictured above. Álex Palou triumphed on the Nashville oval and Portland road course as he strides to the title, while closest rival Kyle Kirkwood, below, won the inaugural race on the Washington streets.

● Toyota’s Sébastien Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia escaped serious injury on Rally Finland in a high-speed crash which hospitalised both. Local hero Sami Pajari earned a second successive win in a Toyota 1-2-3 from Oliver Solberg and Elfyn Evans, the Welshman recovering from a roll.

● London-born Scottish-Korean Jack Aitken is looking in prime position for the IMSA SportsCar GTP title with two rounds remaining, including Petit Le Mans. Aitken’s Whelen Cadillac didn’t finish the most recent round, at Road America, but the marque did triumph thanks to Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque.