IndyCar Driver Felix Rosenqvist Hospitalized After Crash into Wall at Belle Isle
Jun 12, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MAY 28: Felix Rosenqvist of Sweden, driver of the #7 Arrow McClaren SP Chevrolet, drives during Carb Day for the 105th Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 28, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
IndyCar driver Felix Rosenqvist was involved in a single-car crash at the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix on Saturday. He remains awake and alert but was transferred to a local hospital for further observation.
The 29-year-old was heading into Turn 6 when his throttle appeared to get stuck, sending him barreling into a wall of tires that sent his car skyward and pushed the wall back. Officials quickly raised the red flag as emergency crews raced to check on him.
I’m doing ok, except alot of soreness! Thanks for all the messages and to the @IndyCar medical staff for looking after me. What a race we had going til that point, bummer... Big congrats to @Ericsson_Marcus on his first W, happy for you bro 🤘🏻 https://t.co/ue9AxWpxCP
"He was conscious and alert the entire time, never lost consciousness. He was talking the entire time, and he's having some soreness," IndyCar director of medical services Dr. Geoffrey Billows told the NBC broadcast. "He had no loss of sensation anywhere, no loss of function, and we were able to get him out of the car."
The Swedish native is in his third IndyCar season and was named Rookie of the Year in 2019.
As the driver of the Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, things have been a bit more difficult for Rosenqvist this year. After finishing 12th at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the Formula E product has progressively found himself with worse results. He completed last month's Indianapolis 500 in 27th place after starting 17th and was in 25th at the time of his crash Saturday in Michigan despite starting 14th.
Rosenqvist was originally taken to the IndyCar medical facility on site before doctors sent him to an undisclosed hospital for further imaging and care. He was seen in a neck brace after exiting his car as he left the track.
Billows said there was no muscular or skeletal damage observed during preliminary exams on site.
Indy 500 Results 2021: Helio Castroneves Wins 4th Career Title at IMS
May 30, 2021
Helio Castroneves of Brazil celebrates after winning the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Helio Castroneves etched his name in history after winning the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500.
The driver earned his fourth career victory in the historic race after beating Alex Palou across the finish line Sunday. The win was Castroneves' first at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 2009, but it ties him for the most Indy 500 victories in the history of the sport with A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr. and Rick Mears.
The No. 6 car pulled ahead of Palou in the final few laps and earned the win by 0.4928 seconds.
There were 33 entries in the 200-lap race, but there were arguably four real contenders over the final 50 laps.
Alex Palou, Helio Castroneves, Pato O'Ward and Simon Pagenaud paced themselves well with their pit stops before battling for positioning over the final dozen laps.
The big move came with two laps to go as Castroneves blew right past Palou for the lead.
It was a memorable finish to an outstanding race from the veteran driver.
Scott Dixon looked like an early favorite starting on the pole, but his lead didn't last long as Colton Herta and then Rinus VeeKay quickly moved to the front. It might have been part of the plan for Dixon, but his strategy backfired about 30 laps into the race when some drama on pit road led to a shakeup in the standings.
REPLAY: Heartbreak for @stef_Wilson after this incident in pit lane.
Stefan Wilson's day ended prematurely with the accident, while Dixon and Alexander Rossi fell a lap behind. Wilson was still the only driver out of the race at the halfway point, the fewest in Indy 500 history, per SpeedFreaks.
At the front of the race, VeeKay and Conor Daly each led the pack for extended stretches until deciding to pit. A variety of names continued to cycle to the front as the race continued, but no one could take control.
8 drivers have led at least 1 lap in this #Indy500 (Palou, Castroneves, O'Ward, Daly, Dixon, Herta, VeeKay, Rahal) through 114 laps. 14 drivers led in the 2013 race.
Rahal had been conserving fuel but lost his chance to win with the crash.
Takuma Sato and Felix Rosenqvist eventually moved in front, although they each needed to refuel before top contenders Palou, Castroneves, O'Ward and Pagenaud.
It eventually came down to Palou and Castroneves, and the more experienced driver came out in front.
The season continues with the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix races on June 12 and 13, giving Castroneves plenty of time to celebrate his latest victory.
Indy 500 Qualifying Results 2021: Scott Dixon Earns Pole Position over Colton Herra
May 23, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 22: NTT Indy Car series driver Scott Dixon (9) poses for a photo after qualifying for the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 22, 2021 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Scott Dixon will sit on the pole at the Indianapolis 500 next Sunday.
He averaged a speed of 231.685 mph to take the pole and will be joined by Colton Herra (231.655 average mph) and Rinus VeeKay (231.511 average mph) in the front row.
Row 3: Ryan Hunter-Reay, Helio Castroneves and Marcus Ericsson
Row 4: Alexander Rossi, Ed Jones and Pato O'Ward
Row 5: Pietro Fittipaldi, Felix Rosenqvist and Takuma Sato
Row 6: James Hinchcliffe, Scott McLaughlin and Graham Rahal
Row 7: Conor Daly, Jack Harvey and Josef Newgarden
Row 8: JR Hildebrand, Santino Ferrucci and Juan Pablo Montoya
Row 9: Marco Andretti, Simon Pagenaud and Sebastien Bourdais
Row 10: Stefan Wilson, Max Chilton and Dalton Kellett
Row 11: Sage Karam, Will Power and Simona De Silvestro
Notable racers to miss the cut included Charlie Kimball and RC Enerson.
History was also made Sunday, as De Silvestro and Paretta Autosport owner Beth Paretta became the first female driver-owner pairing to qualify for the race.
"I feel like we've climbed a mountain together," Paretta said of the achievement. "Hats off to all of these women, also all these men from Team Penske who have been coaching our women on this team and really just working, digging in. ... I couldn't be happier, and we can't wait till next week."
The 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place next Sunday at 11 a.m. ET on NBC.
Indy 500 Qualifying Results 2021: Final Times from Saturday's Races
May 22, 2021
Scott Dixon, of New Zealand, leaves the pits during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Friday, May 21, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Spots 10 through 30 in the 2021 Indianapolis 500 have been set after Saturday's round of qualifying.
Scott Dixon set the pace for all drivers in the 35-car field with a four-lap average of 231.828 mph. He will be among the stars competing in the Fast Nine shootout Sunday to determine the top nine spots in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
Here. We. Go. @scottdixon9 sets the tone for the rest of the field with an average speed of 231.828 MPH.
Joining Dixon in the Fast Nine shootout will be Colton Herta, Tony Kanaan, Ed Carpenter, Rinus Veekay, Helio Castroneves, Alex Palou, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Marcus Ericsson.
2021 Indianapolis 500 Qualifying Results
1. Scott Dixon
2. Colton Herta
3. Tony Kanaan
4. Ed Carpenter
5. Rinus VeeKay
6. Helio Castroneves
7. Alex Palou
8. Ryan Hunter-Reay
9. Marcus Ericsson
Positions 21 - 30 for the #Indy500 21. Josef Newgarden 22. JR Hildebrand 23. Santino Ferrucci 24. Juan Pablo Montoya 25. Marco Andretti 26. Simon Pagenaud 27. Sebastien Bourdais 28. Stefan Wilson 29. Max Chilton 30. Dalton Kellett
Coming out of Fast Friday, Dixon explained that a lot of drivers were struggling to find a clear track to practice.
“You had some guys doing some pretty silly stuff out there," he told reporters. "Teams should have been held responsible for some of those runs as well. I know it’s difficult. I know everybody wants to try to get a run. Some of those closing speeds when you have people doing cooldown laps at 150 mph, you’re coming in at 240, gets pretty hairy."
Things appeared to get better Saturday, at least for the drivers who qualified for the Fast Nine. Each of them averaged better than 231 miles per hour.
Dixon has won the pole at the Indianapolis 500 three times previously. His only win in this race from the pole position was in 2008. The last time he started first was in 2017, but he wound up posting the worst finish of his career (32nd).
Palou earned a spot in the Fast Nine despite his car running into the wall. He was checked by the medical staff and cleared to resume practicing:
REPLAY: @AlexPalou has been checked, cleared and released after this incident at @IMS.
Defending champion Takuma Sato will start from the 15th position. The Japanese star won last year from the outside spot on the first row. There hasn't been a driver who started outside the top 10 win the Indy 500 since Alexander Rossi in 2016.
In addition to the intrigue of the Fast Nine Shootout, Sunday will also see two of the drivers in the Last Row Shootout miss out on a chance to compete in the May 30 race.
The group of five vying for the final three spots will be Will Power, Simona de Silvestro, Sage Karam, Charlie Kimball and RC Enerson.
"He's coming back tomorrow!"
Will Power does NOT make the top 30, meaning he'll be in the Last Row Shootout to make the #Indy500 field tomorrow at 1P ET on NBCSN. pic.twitter.com/3H8IsCbSwy
Power, the 2018 Indianapolis 500 champion, started this season with back-to-back top-10 finishes. He's been OK in the past three races with top-14 finishes in each event, but the 40-year-old is trying to get back on track this weekend.
The last-chance qualifying run will begin at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday. It will be followed by the Fast Nine Shootout at 3 p.m. ET.
Colton Herta, Scott McLaughlin Avoid Crash at Indy 500 Track amid Attempted Photo Op
May 20, 2021
Scott McLaughlin, of New Zealand, watches as he sits on pit wall during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Thursday, May 20, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Colton Herta and Scott McLaughlin almost didn't make it to the start of the Indy 500, nearly colliding in practice as defending champion Takuma Sato posed with his Rahal Letterman Lanigan teammates for a photo opportunity.
Sato, Graham Rahal and Santino Ferrucci were moving slower in a line. McLaughlin slowed, but Herta had to check up hard to avoid making contact with the IndyCar rookie.
"I'm doing 220 [mph] and coming through the corner, and these idiots are doing 170; it's just ridiculous," Herta told reporters.
IndyCar announced said that the three cars would have to miss the first 30 minutes of tomorrow's practice as a penalty for "improper conduct," according to Jenna Fryer of the Associated Press.
Former IndyCar, NASCAR Star Danica Patrick to Drive 2021 Indy 500 Pace Car
May 19, 2021
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 04: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Danica Patrick is interviewed on PeopleNow at PeopleTV Studios on November 04, 2019 in New York, United States. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)
Former IndyCar and NASCAR driver Danica Patrick will drive the pace car for the 2021 Indianapolis 500.
"I am very honored to drive the pace car this year at the Indy 500," Patrick said in a press release. "It is even more special because of the past year we have all endured, and it will be so nice to see fans back in the stands."
Patrick, 39, retired from auto racing after finishing 30th in the 2018 Indianapolis 500. She previously posted six top-10 finishes in open-wheel racing's biggest race, highlighted by a third-place finish in 2009.
The 2009 season was the most successful of her career, as she finished fifth in the final IndyCar standings. Patrick left open-wheel racing after the 2011 season for stock cars.
Since leaving full-time racing, Patrick has made several notable media appearances and will be part of NBC's broadcast team for the 2021 Indianapolis 500.
3-Time Indy 500 Winner Bobby Unser Dies at Age 87
May 3, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — May 1981: Bobby Unser of Albuquerque, NM, with Roger Penske’s Penske/Cosworth Norton Spirit at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Unser won the pole position for the USAC-sanctioned Indianapolis 500 Indy Car race, then went on to win his third Indy 500 race, becoming just the second driver to win the event in three different decades. Unser also tasted Indy victory in 1968 and 1975. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)
Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser died Sunday at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, of natural causes, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway confirmed to Jenna Fryer of the Associated Press. He was 87.
Unser was crowned the champion of the Indy 500 in 1968, 1975 and 1981.
His younger brother, Al Unser, is a four-time Indy 500 champion. They are the only brothers to have both won the Indy 500.
"Bobby was a ferocious competitor on the track, and his larger-than-life personality made him one of the most beloved and unique racers we have ever seen,'' said Roger Penske, who currently owns Indianapolis Motor Speedway and owned the team with which Unser won the race in 1981.
That Penske team victory in 1981 came amid controversy after it was ruled Unser passed illegally, giving Mario Andretti the win. The team successfully appealed the ruling in October 1981 and Unser earned his 35th career victory.
Through 19 career starts at Indianapolis, Unser won the race in 1968, 1975 and 1981 and finished in the top 10 on 10 separate occasions. His 440 leading laps (which spanned 10 races) rank 10th all-time.
His racing career began at Roswell Speedway in New Mexico in 1949, developing into a family business that saw his nephew, Al Unser Jr., win the Indy 500 in 1992 and 1994. In total, six drivers in the family have raced in the Indianapolis 500.
After Unser retired from racing, began a broadcasting career that resulted in an Emmy Award in 1989. He was inducted into International Motorsports, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and National Sprint Car Halls of Fame, as well as the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Planning to Host Up to 135K Fans for 2021 Indy 500
Apr 21, 2021
FILE - In this May 24, 2019, file photo, cars take to the track during the final practice session for the Indianapolis 500 IndyCar auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis 500 scheduled for May 24 has been postponed until August because of the coronavirus pandemic and won't run on Memorial Day weekend for the first time since 1946. The race will instead be held Aug. 23. (AP Photo/AJ Mast, File)
Indianapolis Motor Speedway will welcome a limited number of fans back to the famed race track for the 2021 Indianapolis 500 on May 30, according to Nathan Brown of the Indianapolis Star.
Up to 135,000 fans will be permitted to watch the race in person, 40 percent of the track's capacity. While the official number of seats in the grandstand has never been confirmed, Indianapolis Star reporter Curt Cavin counted 257,325 permanent seats in 2004.
While the track has never announced official attendance numbers, in 2016, the Star said 350,000 fans would be at the race, while an estimated 400,000 spectators attended in 1990, per the Associated Press (via USA Today).
Last year's race, the 104th running, was postponed until August 23 and held without fans in attendance because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Brown noted if reached, 40 percent capacity at IMS will represent the highest-attended event in the United States since the onset of the pandemic.
Race officials announced the sale of 170,000 tickets to the Indy 500 last week before sending out an advisory requesting ticket holders confirm how many of their allotments they planned to use with credit available for next year's race for any unused tickets. Speedway president Doug Boles told Brown nearly 33,000 tickets were already returned and fans interested in attending can still submit an application with the track to do so.
Those in attendance will be required to wear a mask unless eating or drinking, observe social distance guidelines and temperature checks will be required before entering the grounds.
Additionally, IMS plans to use the month of May to continue encouraging Indiana residents to get vaccinated. The track held a four-day mass vaccination clinic in March that served 16,000 people. The drive-up vaccine clinic at the track will remain available throughout May until the 27th—three days before the Indy 500.
Per Brown:
"IMS projects that by race day, nearly 60% of its fans will have been vaccinated, which they believe, along with mask-wearing and spacing, should ensure safety by those who do attend this year's race. A year ago, IMS initially said in July they would allow as much as 50% capacity for the Aug. 23 race, and then fans' demand lowered that projection to 25% on July 21. But on Aug. 4, track officials announced the decision to hold the race without fans due to the significant continued spread of COVID-19 locally and the lack any vaccine at that point."
“The city and state have worked with us to identify the appropriate health and safety precautions so that we can successfully host a limited but very enthusiastic crowd," Boles said in a statement. "The health and safety of everyone coming to IMS, along with central Indiana and the Hoosier state, have been paramount throughout this process.”
Indy 500 2020: Results, Top Finishers and Analysis from 104th Edition of Race
Aug 23, 2020
Takuma Sato, of Japan, celebrates after winning the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
The 2020 Indianapolis 500 concluded in anticlimactic fashion as Takuma Sato crossed the finish line under caution to claim the title Sunday.
With four laps remaining, Spencer Pigot spun out and collided with the entrance to pit road. Track officials opted to wave the yellow flag rather than the red, which effectively ended the race. Sato cruised to Victory Lane as Scott Dixon and Graham Rahal finished second and third, respectively.
Full results available at the IndyCar Series' official site
This is Sato's second triumph at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He edged out Helio Castroneves in 2017, becoming the first Japanese driver to capture the checkered flag in the Indianapolis 500.
The circumstances surrounding Sunday's result are clearly less than ideal.
Dixon couldn't hide his disappointment while praising Sato's performance.
"It's definitely a hard one to swallow. We had such a great day," he said, per Autosport's Luke Smith. "With fuel mileage, I really can't see how they were going to make it. They decided to go and run it. Sato drove his pants off today, they were super fast."
The nature of the outcome is likely to be a dominant storyline coming out of the race. Some will likely argue Pigot's crash—and the point at which it happened—warranted the red flag. Others might point to this as an example of why the IndyCar Series should adopt something similar to NASCAR's overtime period.
Sato's performance shouldn't be overlooked, though.
Anti-climactic finish aside, Sato was and is a fantastic and deserving champion. Winning this race twice is an incredible achievement.
He drove well throughout the buildup to Sunday, narrowly qualifying for the Fast Nine Shootout and then coming in third in that event. He proceeded to have one of the strongest cars on the track in the Indy 500, with his best lap speed (222.086 mph) the fifth-fastest on the day.
Alex Palou and Alexander Rossi, both of whom started in the third row, showed that a strong car isn't enough on its own to guarantee victory.
Palou slammed into the wall to end his day after completing 122 laps.
Sato avoided making any critical errors and faced a difficult head-to-head battle with Dixon toward the end to ensure he remained in first.
"I know Scott was coming right through, out of Turn 4, he was screaming coming," Sato said, per the Associated Press' Jenna Fryer. "I had to hold him off."
Perhaps Dixon would have caught Sato under green over the final stretch, but nobody will ever know.
And make no mistake, Sato was a deserving champion in the 104th installment of the legendary race.
Indy 500 2020: Starting Grid, TV Schedule, Lineup, Odds and Pre-Race Storylines
Aug 23, 2020
The top of the Borg-Warner Trophy complete with checkered flag mask, is shown on the start/finish line before the the practice session for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Friday, Aug. 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
The 104th running of the Indianapolis 500 will be unlike any other in IndyCar history.
Typically held in late May, the race was moved to the second-last Sunday in August because of the coronavirus pandemic, and the changes don't stop there.
The Greatest Spectacle in Racing will have noticeably fewer fans in attendance this year, with the pandemic meaning the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is unable to host fans. IMS previously hoped it could have a 25 percent capacity but cited conversations with state and county officials in reversing the decision August 4.
That's not to say there isn't plenty to watch for when the drivers take to the track Sunday. Here's a look at what to keep an eye on when the biggest race of the summer goes green.
Indy 500 Fast Nine
Row 1
1. No. 98, Marco Andretti, Honda, 231.068
2. No. 9, Scott Dixon, Honda, 231.051
3. No. 30, Takuma Sato, Honda, 230.725
Row 2
4. No. 21, Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, 230.704
5. No. 28, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Honda, 230.648
6. No. 29, James Hinchcliffe, Honda, 229.870
Row 3
7. No. 55, Alex Palou, Honda, 229.676
8. No. 15, Graham Rahal, Honda, 229.380
9. No. 27, Alexander Rossi, Honda, 229.234
All speeds mph. Full grid available at Indianapolis Motor Speedway website.
It's been 33 years since a member of the Andretti family began the Indy 500 on pole. That streak ends Sunday.
Marco Andretti shocked plenty of racing fans by grabbing the lead position and moving one step closer to breaking the so-called Andretti Curse. No member of the family has won the Borg-Warner Trophy since Marco's grandfather, Mario, kissed the bricks in 1969.
Marco has started in the Fast Nine on nine occasions at the Indy 500 but missed out in both 2018 and 2019. Andretti placed second in his rookie year of 2006, but he hasn't made the top three since 2014.
While the question is asked every spring, it's never been uttered in the summer, so it bears repeating: Is this the year the Andretti Curse ends?
Former Champions Flood the Field
Eight former Indy 500 winners will take to the track Sunday, and given the unusual nature of this year's race, it wouldn't be a surprise if one of them comes away with the checkered flag again.
Ryan Hunter-Reay, Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Will Power, Simon Pagenaud, Tony Kanaan, Alexander Rossi and Takuma Sato are all veteran drivers with plenty of experience at IMS.
How much will that come into play with the race having been moved to the end of the summer rather than the beginning of it?
Track Conditions
One of the benefits of the Indianapolis 500 taking place at the end of May is the heat hasn't become too unbearable and the odds of a nice, cloudy day keeping the track cool are much higher.
That won't be the case Sunday.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the mid-80s for the majority of the race, per AccuWeather. How drivers handle the heat will have a lot to do with who ends up in Victory Lane once the 500 miles have been completed.
