INDIANAPOLIS, In. – Will Power (No. 26 TWG Andretti Global Honda) turned a weekend that appeared headed for disaster into one of the most impressive drives of the inaugural Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham, charging from the back of the 25-car field to finish on the podium on Sunday.
The Andretti Global driver started 25th after a difficult qualifying session that included a spin, just one day after a heavy crash in Practice 2. Yet Power kept his No. 26 Honda clean through a chaotic 90-lap race on the Streets of Markham and steadily worked his way through the field.
Power’s recovery was helped by strong restarts, smart strategy and decisive overtaking on the temporary 2.19-mile, 12-turn street circuit. With the race repeatedly reshuffled by cautions and changing tire and fuel strategies, Power continued to gain positions while avoiding the trouble that eliminated several front-runners.
By the closing stages, Power had moved into contention for a podium. He eventually passed defending and current championship leader Álex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) for 3rd, completing an unlikely comeback from last place to the podium.
“I don’t know how we ended up there,” Power said afterward, crediting the car’s pace on restarts and the team’s strategy. He added that his tires were nearly spent by the finish, but fuel conservation by other competitors helped open the door to third place.
Power’s podium also completed a Honda sweep of the inaugural Markham race. Teammate Marcus Ericsson (No. 28 RVI Group Honda) made a late charge to take the victory, while Romain Grosjean (No. 18 BMAX.IO Dale Coyne Racing Honda) finished P2 and Power crossed the line P3.
For Power, the result was particularly significant given how the weekend began. His Practice 2 crash came after he clipped the tire barrier and took a heavy impact, and the subsequent qualifying struggles left him facing the longest possible climb through the field.
Instead, the two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion produced one of the race’s defining performances. On a brand-new street circuit where track position was at a premium, Power combined patience with aggression when opportunities appeared.
Ericsson’s victory may have been the headline from Markham’s inaugural race, but Power’s drive from 25th to P3 provided its own memorable storyline: a weekend that started with a crash and a last-place grid spot ended with Andretti Global celebrating two cars on the podium.
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