MARKHAM, On. – Congratulations goes out to Marcus Ericsson and the whole No. 28 RVI Group Andretti Global crew for collecting their 1st win of the 2026 at the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham.
The inaugural Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham delivered exactly what a new street race needed: a dramatic finish, bold strategy calls, crashes, comebacks and a championship battle that shifted once again. Marcus Ericsson took the historic first victory on the Streets of Markham, but there were plenty of other stories worth remembering from the 90-lap race.
Here are my 5 takeaways from the race:
5.) Markham immediately established itself as a wildcard
The first IndyCar race on the Streets of Markham was anything but predictable.
The weekend began with track-construction issues that forced Friday’s activities to be cancelled, compressing the schedule. Once racing began, the 2.19-mile temporary circuit produced crashes, cautions and major swings in strategy.
The result was a race where starting position did not tell the whole story. Foster started from pole but crashed out while fighting near the front. Palou recovered from 12th to fourth. Power went from 25th to third. Grosjean went from 16th to the lead. And Ericsson went from seventh with 21 laps remaining to the winner’s circle.
For a brand-new IndyCar venue, Markham could hardly have asked for a more eventful debut.
4.) Alex Palou turned a difficult weekend into another championship boost
Palou entered Markham as the championship leader but had to start from 12th after crashing during qualifying.
Rather than allowing the setback to derail his weekend, Palou methodically worked his way forward and finished fourth.
Even more importantly, several of his closest championship rivals struggled. The result allowed Palou to extend his points advantage to 133, turning what initially looked like a difficult weekend into another significant step toward the championship.
3.) Will Power’s drive was one of the day’s best
Power’s third-place finish may have been overshadowed by Ericsson’s victory and Grosjean’s heartbreak, but his recovery was remarkable.
The Andretti driver started 25th and fought his way all the way to the podium. His result was especially impressive given how difficult overtaking can be on a temporary street circuit.
Power’s recovery also helped Andretti put two cars on the inaugural Markham podium, giving the team an enormous result at a brand-new event.
2.) Romain Grosjean was heartbreakingly close
For Grosjean, second place was both a huge accomplishment and a painful missed opportunity.
Starting 16th, the Dale Coyne Racing driver worked his way through the field and eventually inherited the lead. With only five laps remaining, Grosjean was still in position to claim his first IndyCar victory.
Ericsson’s fresher tires proved decisive. The Swede caught Grosjean and made the winning pass, leaving Grosjean with another runner-up finish. The result was his first podium of the season and his seventh career IndyCar podium.
1.) Marcus Ericsson’s comeback was the story of the race
Ericsson appeared to put himself out of contention when he made his final pit stop and returned to the track seventh with 21 laps remaining. Instead, the Andretti Global driver produced a spectacular late charge.
On fresher tires, Ericsson passed Will Power, Alex Palou and then Romain Grosjean to reclaim the lead with five laps remaining. He pulled away to win by roughly 7.5 seconds, ending a 63-race winless drought and earning his first victory since 2023.
It was the kind of recovery that could define a season.
Bottom line: The inaugural Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham proved that street-course races can still deliver unpredictability and strategy-driven drama. Ericsson’s late charge will headline the history books, but Grosjean’s near-miss, Power’s comeback, Palou’s championship recovery and the circuit’s chaotic debut made the first Markham race one of the most memorable events of the 2026 season.
Original article
Comments