Power convinced he's still in IndyCar title race after third 2018 win
Will Power insists he is still in the 2018 IndyCar title fight, despite trailing championship favourites Scott Dixon and Alexander Rossi with just two races remaining
The Penske driver won last weekend's race at Gateway, moving past long-time race leader Dixon on lap 150 of 243 and storming clear of Dixon and Rossi.
It was Power's third win of 2018, after he swept both Indianapolis races in May.
But a run of bad luck - including an engine failure at Road America, a collision at Texas and being collected in a multi-car collision at Toronto - has left him third in the standings.
He currently trails points leader Dixon by 68 points and Rossi by 42, with the season finale at Sonoma acting as a double-points race.
When asked if he was still in the title race, Power said: "Yes, we can absolutely do it, it's mathematically possible.
"When we turned up to Indy, it was a single-points race [on the road course] and a double-points race [the Indy 500]. I was about this amount of points behind [77 going into May], and I came out two points ahead with two wins.
"It's going to be very tight. It's really hard to close a gap at this point of the season because, as you can see, the same guys are finishing in the top five every week, and they're all the guys you're racing [for the championship].
"I need those guys to have a bad day and for me to win a race.
"We have been so quick everywhere all year, but among the guys I'm racing, between them they've had one DNF.
"I've had five DNFs, basically. I've had a lot to make up, and we're on the way there.
"Still, it's a big chunk of points [to make up], honestly, even when you're only gaining maybe 10 or 12 a race."
Gateway IndyCar: Will Power wins, Alexander Rossi beats Scott Dixon
Ex-F1 driver Felipe Massa slams IndyCar's safety standards
How Ericsson achieved Indy immortality as Ganassi's main man stumbled
Chip Ganassi Racing team was strong again in the Indianapolis 500, with poleman Scott Dixon and reigning champion Alex Palou leading almost three quarters of the race between them. But when dominator Dixon was penalised for pitlane speeding, ex-Formula 1 driver Marcus Ericsson stepped up to score the biggest win of his career and seize the IndyCar points lead
Ranking the top 10 IndyCar drivers of 2021
In an enthralling 2021 IndyCar campaign, the series bounced back from its COVID-19 truncated year prior and Alex Palou defeated both the established order and his fellow young guns to clinch a maiden title. It capped a remarkable season with plenty of standout performers
How F1's other IndyCar exile finally unlocked his potential
Romain Grosjean's swashbuckling rookie year in IndyCar captured the imagination of many in 2021. But another ex-Formula 1 driver whose potential was masked by five years of toil in, at best, middling machinery also enjoyed a breakout year in 2021 - winning twice and finishing sixth in points. Here's how Marcus Ericsson finally delivered on his promise
How Ganassi's relentless new champion outfoxed IndyCar's best
IndyCar sophomore Alex Palou stunned by overcoming team-mate Scott Dixon and the rest of a white-hot field in 2021. He was consistently fast and crucially showed a level head, rebounding well from setbacks to put himself in a near unassailable position entering the final round
Have Harvey and RLL formed IndyCar’s next winning match-up?
Despite appearing to have an IndyCar job for life with Meyer Shank Racing, Jack Harvey’s departure and move to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing sparked plenty of debate. However, Harvey's and RLL's combined strengths could prove to be a winning combination - if they get the balance right
Remembering Dan Wheldon and his last and most amazing IndyCar win
Saturday 16 October marks the 10th anniversary of Dan Wheldon’s death. David Malsher-Lopez pays tribute, then asks Wheldon’s race engineer from 2011, Todd Malloy, to recall that magical second victory at the Indianapolis 500
Why Kyle Kirkwood is America's new IndyCar ace-in-waiting
Kyle Kirkwood, the record-setting junior formula driver, sealed the Indy Lights championship last weekend. But despite an absurdly strong junior career and scholarship money, his next move is far from clear
Why IndyCar title glory is just the start for Ganassi's new star
Newly-crowned IndyCar champion Alex Palou has been lauded as a complete driver and veteran-like in only his second season. The 24-year-old is still in the early days of his career, but the parallels are there for all to see with his six-time champion Chip Ganassi Racing team-mate who has been CGR's team leader since 2014