Josef Newgarden likes to talk about consistency. In fact, it is the favourite word of many IndyCar drivers, as the leading contenders know it's not just about getting good results - it's about not getting bad results.
So, for a case study, step forward Josef Nicolai Newgarden. At this stage of 2018, just before the IndyCar GP, he was leading the championship with two wins, and two seventh place finishes. Not a bad return.
Then it all fell apart during the month of May, and the tightly packed schedule that follows. Over the next five races, Newgarden placed no higher than eighth, despite strong qualifying performances on the ovals at Indy and Texas, claiming pole at the latter.
For the rest of the year, it was either boom or bust, as Newgarden won at Road America but otherwise failed to trouble the podium.
2019 has seen a strong start, and again the Penske driver is leading the way. But whilst things appear the same on the surface, dig a little deeper and things appear to have changed - for the better.
The opening race at St. Petersberg was a well executed win. No problems there. But the next three races were about taking opportunities, often in the face of adversity.
In Austin, Newgarden could not match the pace of the top three, but a late race caution enabled a top two finish. Alabama saw him extract the best possible result of fourth, whilst virtually every other Chevy powered driver struggled and lost positions. And in the most recent race in Long Beach, the 28 year old kept his nose clean whilst others made mistakes, and came home second only to the dominant Alexander Rossi.
Newgarden has talked incessantly since pre-season about maximising opportunity, about being operationally perfect and eliminating the bad days. So far, his actions, and those of his Penske team, have matched his words.
Now as five races in four weeks loom upon all the drivers, the pressure rises, along with fatigue, stress and expectation. If Newgarden stays top five in the majority of these races, he'll be very difficult to beat over the course of a season.
Over to you Josef...
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