The intensity of being in a championship battle can often bring out the heated, more aggressive side of racing drivers.
However, with experience comes a certain level of calmness and adaptability, which helps deliver consistency and results behind the wheel.
At the age of 42, Will Power has finally mastered the art of competing for championships and making sure his name is in the hat at the end of most IndyCar seasons.
The Australian driver sits second in this year’s standings, trailing championship leader Alex Palou by 54 points with three rounds to go this year.
How Will Power reacted to his Gateway retirement
A chaotic Grand Prix of Madison at Gateway proved that despite his experience, the heat of the moment could still get to Power – but he did get over the incident, and apologise for it a lot more promptly than he may have done in the past.
One person who knows the inside and outs of Power greater than any other person on this earth is his wife, Liz, who has noticed a change in him as he gets older.
“Experience helps,” Liz Power told IndyStar after Will won the Grand Prix of Portland. “He’s for sure grown up a lot. Before, he’d hold onto that, but I think it helps him when there’s another race right afterwards. (Last week), he allowed himself to have one day to sulk, and then he moved on.”
The upcoming Milwaukee Mile 250 double-header is a chance for Power to take the championship down to the wire.
If he and any of his rivals fail to do so, it will be the second consecutive season without a title finale, having gone 18 years without such fate before that.
Power sets sights on an unlikely third IndyCar triumph
Alex Palou is aiming to become the first driver to win three IndyCar titles before the age of 27, and all he has to do is outscore Power by one point in Milwaukee.
Of course, overturning a deficit of more than a race win is a very difficult task with three races to go, but not impossible considering that Palou has never won on an oval.
READ MORE: Why Alex Palou should be worried about four IndyCar drivers in his quest to win the 2024 title
“You get a third championship from a 54-point deficit, yeah that would be amazing, absolutely amazing. It’s a tough climb from here, but not impossible,” Power also told IndyStar.
“When I walk in the paddock, it’s like, ‘It would be really tough for me to walk away from this sport. The feeling of being part of something, trying to accomplish something with a group of people, I think I’d be pretty lost if I stopped. I love racing, love the paddock, love the people. Feel lucky to do this.”
His statement confirms that he has no intentions to retire from the sport any time soon, and will continue to hound his rival for years to come.