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IndyCar: Felix Rosenqvist’s 2019 road/street championship-clinching scenarios

By Asher Fair

FORT WORTH, TEXAS - JUNE 06: Felix Rosenqvist of Sweden, driver of the #10 NTT Data Chip Ganassi Racing Honda (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - JUNE 06: Felix Rosenqvist of Sweden, driver of the #10 NTT Data Chip Ganassi Racing Honda (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /
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How can Felix Rosenqvist clinch the 2019 IndyCar road and street course championship in Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca?

The Mario Andretti Road Course Trophy is no longer awarded to the IndyCar driver who scores the most points in road and street course races throughout a season. With that said, individual discipline champions, one for the road and street course races and one for the oval races, still exist unofficially.

In addition to being the 2019 season finale, this Sunday afternoon’s Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is the 12th and final road or street course race of the season.

A total of 24 drivers are set to compete in this 90-lap race around the 11-turn, 2.238-mile (3.602-kilometer) WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca natural terrain road course in Monterey, California, and this race is a double points-paying race.

As a result, the minimum point total for a driver in this race is 12. Bonus points aren’t doubled, so the maximum point total for a driver in this race is 104 (100 for winning the race, one for taking the pole position, one for leading at least one lap and two for leading the most laps).

Entering this race, six drivers are still eligible to be crowned the 2019 road and street course champion. One of these drivers is Chip Ganassi Racing rookie Felix Rosenqvist.

Here is how these six drivers stack up against one another in the road and street course championship standings.

Rank – Driver, Car, Team, Engine: Points (Behind)
1st – Scott Dixon, #9, Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda: 375 (0)
2nd – Alexander Rossi, #27, Andretti Autosport, Honda: 372 (-3)
3rd – Josef Newgarden, #2, Team Penske, Chevrolet: 363 (-12)
4th – Simon Pagenaud, #22, Team Penske, Chevrolet: 309 (-66)
5th – Will Power, #12, Team Penske, Chevrolet: 306 (-69)
6th – Felix Rosenqvist, #10, Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda: 292 (-83)

Dixon, Rossi and Newgarden have each won two road or street course races so far this season. Pagenaud and Power have each won one while Rosenqvist hasn’t won any. Road and street course race victory totals serve as the tiebreaker.

Here is how Rosenqvist can become the 2019 IndyCar road and street course champion.

NOTE: Bonus points (aside of the guaranteed +1 for the race winner) are not factored into this list. 

Felix Rosenqvist, No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda

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With a win…

  • Rosenqvist will have 393 points
  • Scott Dixon must finish in 22nd place (391 points) or lower
  • Alexander Rossi must finish in 20th place (392 points) or lower
  • Josef Newgarden must finish in 16th place (391 points) or lower

With a 2nd place finish or lower…

  • Rosenqvist cannot win the road and street course championship

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Will Felix Rosenqvist be crowned 2019 IndyCar road and street course champion in his rookie season when the season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca concludes? Tune in to the NBC’s live broadcast of the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 22. The race is set to begin shortly thereafter at 3:00 p.m. ET.