The AJ Foyt driver cost race winner Alex Palou a 5s chunk of the lead that he’d built up, and while it didn’t impact the outcome of the result, it left Palou frustrated.
Drivers aren’t obliged to give up their position, especially when it comes to going a lap down in case a full-course yellow comes out, which would allow them to cycle to the back of the pack for the restart.
“I know the rules,” said Palou. “But at the same time it's very frustrating when you are leading and you try to open the gap, and they don't let you pass, but they are using the overtake, for like 20, 30 seconds a lap, to try to stay up front.
“On top of that once you are side-by-side that they are so aggressive defending. Obviously it's really frustrating when you are leading.
“I know it's the rules. I would like it to change… It's not going to change.”
But it wasn’t only Palou that Pedersen held up, who went on to annoy most of the top six finishers by not moving aside to let them through.
Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin went to remonstrate with him after the race, after losing “three or four seconds” getting past him.
“I just said that he’s not going to make any friends if he holds people up," McLaughlin said. "He’s not in our race, I get he’s in a race of his own. It’s give or take in this series, If I’m a lap down and [he] is behind me, who knows what I’m going to do.”
Sixth placed David Malukas added: “He was just blocking, but all you’re doing is making enemies and he’s certainly made one of me. He was just trying to ruin everyone’s races for no reason, I just don’t think that’s how you should drive.”
Source: Autosport