Kiwi Scott McLaughlin has his first victory of the 2023 IndyCar season, winning the Grand Prix of Alabama on Monday (NZ time).
Starting fourth on the grid, 29-year-old McLaughlin drove close to the perfect race and took the chequered flag for his fourth victory racing in the USA.
What's more, McLaughlin's victory sees him become the fourth different driver to win a race in the 2023 season, with Marcus Ericsson, Josef Newgarden and Kyle Kirkwood all taking first place in the opening races.
Driving for Team Penske, McLaughlin made the most of a three-stop strategy, while his rivals' strategies saw them stop twice.
And despite the Kiwi losing time on his extra pit stop, McLaughlin's faster tyres at the end of the race saw him overtake leader Romain Grosjean with 18 laps to go.
The win also sees McLaughlin climb up to fourth on this season's IndyCar standings, standing on top of the podium for the first time in 2023.
After the first four races of the season, McLaughlin has 119 points, only 11 back from leader Ericsson.
"I'm so thankful," McLaughlin said post-race. "My team advanced me to victory lane there.
"We had great fuel, I went past Grosjean there on a strategy of advance. I feel really good about it.
"[I'm] really happy to advance to victory lane, and be really pumped about it.
"It's been coming, we've been close."
Overtaking pole sitter Grosjean was a relief for McLaughlin after a collision in the season's opening race robbed both drivers of the chance of a race win in Florida to start 2023.
Despite that, though, McLaughlin says there are "no hard feelings" between the two.
"We're racers, we just get on with it," he added. "You're only as good as your last race.
"We talked man to man, as far as I'm concerned and he's concerned, we race hard and fair and press on.
"I'm glad to get a win here for the thirsty threes."
Victory in Alabama comes at the perfect time for McLaughlin, as IndyCar heads towards the iconic Indianapolis 500, raced at the end of May.
First, though, McLaughlin will head to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the GMR 500 in two weeks' time, before the Indy500 on May 29 (NZ time).
"May is going to be an awesome time for us," he continued. "I can't wait.
"The best race in the world is coming up. To end April like this and start May is a really proud achievement.
"I'm super proud of my team."
Elsewhere, fellow Kiwi Scott Dixon finished seventh after starting fifth on the grid, while rookie Marcus Armstrong was 11th - an impressive drive after qualifying in 26th.
