Linus Lundqvist has all but wrapped up this year’s Indy Lights series title, with a podium finish at the Grand Prix of Portland.
The HMD Motorsports driver finished third, as pole-sitter Benjamin Pedersen claimed his maiden Indy Lights series race victory, with Australian Matthew Brabham splitting the pair.
The Swede leads the series standings on 515 points, over 100 points in the clear of Brabham (412 points) and Hunter McElrea (401 points) ahead of the series-ending doubleheader at Laguna Seca Raceway.
Lundqvist only needs to lead by at least 54 points after the Saturday race to lock up the championship.
“It’s all right,” Lundqvist said.
“You always want a little more, you want to win every race if you can, but we just didn’t really have the pace this weekend.
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“Benjamin has been on it since session one, it’s always a good feeling to get that first win under your belt.
“But from our side, it was all right.
“Happy to get away with a podium, we’ll take the points.
“Obviously, it would have been nice to finish ahead of Brabham and be finished with it, but we’ll see.
“We still have a good gap, and we’re going to Laguna with some good energy.”
Pedersen kept his composure in the eventful race, commanding control at the restarts to lead all 35 laps on the way to the chequered flag.
Brabham finished second after jostling for the position with Danial Frost and Christian Rasmussen.
Following a restart on Lap 6, the trio darted around each other, before Brabham backed off, as Rasmussen and Frost went side by side into Turn 11.
There was contact between the duo, resulting in Frost’s car smashing into the tyre barrier, while Rasmussen ended up down the escape road.
The incident elevated Brabham to second and Lundqvist to third, where they remained for the balance of the race.
The 2022 Indy Lights series will conclude at Laguna Seca Raceway on September 10–11.
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