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Power slams 'dumb' IndyCar decisions

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Australian Will Power has led for more than half the IndyCar race in Detroit only to finish 20th.
Camera IconAustralian Will Power has led for more than half the IndyCar race in Detroit only to finish 20th. Credit: AP

Australian Will Power has been left livid by "dumb decisions" that have cost him an IndyCar victory in race one of the Detroit Grand Prix.

Power had control and led a race-high 37 of the 70 laps until a crash and the subsequent red-flag stoppage resulted in him giving up that advantage while all cars were in the pits.

Former Formula One driver Marcus Ericsson took full advantage to secure his maiden IndyCar victory in Saturday's action-packed opener of the double-header at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park.

The Swede benefitted from the second red-flag stoppage, this one with six laps remaining when Romain Grosjean crashed in Turn 9.

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Power immediately screamed over his radio for Team Penske to bring him water and a fan.

Although IndyCar had mandated the use of an aerodynamic device designed to circulate air in the cockpit, the drivers were overheated on a hot and humid Detroit day.

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Some drivers wore cooling vests or other new technology to help with heat on the bumpy circuit considered one of the most physical in IndyCar.

But IndyCar initially stopped the Penske crew member from going to Power's car, but the series eventually relented and the drivers received aid during the nine-minute stoppage.

It was too late for Power, though.

His car would not restart when it was time for the race to resume and IndyCar waved Ericsson past him into the lead as Power sat idle on pit road awaiting a replacement for his electronic control unit.

"I'm mad at IndyCar because I'm the first guy (on pit road) and they wait for the last car to come to get a fan on that car and it roasts the ECU," Power seethed.

"The guys up there in race control never listen to any drivers. They never listen. They don't care. We give them so many good suggestions and they don't care.

"Like, I'm screaming on the radio to get a fan because ECU always overheats.

"You're working your ass off for this sport, so much money goes into, and just dumb decisions like that.

"If it's not dumb yellows they throw, it's some stupid idea like this or red flags."

Power finished 20th - a place behind three-times Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin.

An earlier accident sent Felix Rosenqvist to a hospital for evaluation and caused a 78-minute stoppage after smashing into a wall.

Ericsson's success means it is now seven different winners through seven races this year to tie an IndyCar record set in 1958 and matched in 2000 and 2017.

The hard-charging Rinus VeeKay and Pato O'Ward were second and third respectively.

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