Alexander Rossi was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation after a violent three-car crash during Indianapolis 500 practice Monday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Pato O’Ward and Romain Grosjean were caught in the same incident and released without injury.
The first major accident of the day came at 1:28 p.m. ET, when Rossi spun in Turn 2 in the No. 20 Java House Chevrolet of Ed Carpenter Racing and made hard contact with the SAFER Barrier. O’Ward then suffered a secondary hit from the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet after spinning under braking while trying to avoid Rossi, and Grosjean also spun into the barrier in the No. 18 Bmax.IO Honda of Dale Coyne Racing as he tried to miss the wreck.
Dr. Julia Vaizer said Rossi was awake and alert and in good spirits after the crash. O’Ward later summed up the moment with the kind of blunt explanation drivers use when there is nothing else to say: he said he was OK, felt bad for his car, and called it wrong place, wrong time. He added that he got collected, hit the brakes and could not do much to avoid it, while also saying he was glad Rossi and Grosjean were all right.
The crash came during a rain-shortened practice that was cut from two hours to one hour and 18 minutes because of rain and lightning, then interrupted again by a track inspection, the incident itself and more weather. Even so, all 33 drivers combined to turn 1,053 laps while the track was open for only 35 minutes, a reminder of how much speed teams are trying to find in the days before Race Day. Rossi had qualified second on Sunday, putting him near the front of the field before Monday’s setback.
Josef Newgarden led the session at 226.198 mph in the No. 2 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske Chevrolet, with Takuma Sato second at 225.723 mph in the No. 75 Amada Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Next up on the schedule is Miller Lite Carb Day on Friday, May 22, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET, followed by the 110th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 24.
