INDIA — Scott DixonMy opinion of Sunday’s crash has not changed, nor has Pato O’WardRespect for the six-time IndyCar champion.
Four days after the two riders met in Long Beach, they arrived for the first of two Indianapolis 500 testing sessions without speaking to each other.
“No,” Dixon said when asked if his views have changed. “I think it’s crazy that there’s no penalty for both cars. But if that’s the way things are going, then that’s what they need to follow. But it doesn’t seem like there’s any control. control what races there.”
The dispute began after O’Ward dashed inside Dixon entering the eighth turn of the street. As their tires hit lap 20, Dixon plowed straight into the tire barrier before O’Ward navigated past the touchpoint and finished in 17th place.
Dixon managed to complete another 17 laps after falling from sixth to 25th before becoming the first car to leave the race. After Dixon’s quest for the record crown in the seventh series was a success, the 42-year-old veteran said he wouldn’t make it. The New Zealander’s wife, Emma, also complained on social media that inconsistent calls gave the series a bad image.
Meanwhile, O’Ward, 23, performed a similar move in the same turn later in the race and turned. The Mexican driver was eventually shuffled back into the squad, sliding from the top spot in total points to second place.
O’Ward showed up in no hurry to fix things.
“I really didn’t see [Dixon]. I tried to look for him in the driver’s meeting and I found Marcus [Ericsson]I saw [Alex] Palou and i have seen [Takuma] sato,” said O’Ward before taking a lighter stance. “I don’t see Scott, though. I’ll hug him tight.”
O’Ward downplayed the dispute with Dixon.
O’Ward said: “We’re all grown-ups. He’s probably been through that many times in his career and this probably won’t be the last time we disagree.” “But that certainly doesn’t take any respect. He’s my hero. He was one of my heroes growing up. Just because we had a little incident on the track, everyone who considered it the end of the world. But it was, you know, racing.”
Disputes between drivers about behavior on the road are standard fare. How long they last and whether they actually dissipate often depends on whether or not they are resolved. And it’s not always a simple apology.
“You should never contest right after a race,” four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves speak. “You have to calm down, analyze the video and if you still believe you’re right then the person who believes you’re right should call and say, ‘Why? What are you thinking?'”
That could still happen before the series returns to Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama next week.
During Thursday’s extended practice session on a warm and windy day, Ericsson, the Swedish Indy 500 defending champion and Dixon’s teammate with Chip Ganassi Racing, was crowned the fastest lap in the competition. morning at 224.330 mph (361.02 kph).
While there is talk of RC Enerson possibly becoming the 34th driver to attempt to qualify for the May 28 race – an entry that will warrant a collision next month – the Brazilian Tony Kanaan, 2013 Indy 500 winner, completed her refresher course. He is hoping to start the 22nd in a row and perhaps the last 500th start.
“It won’t be the same, so I’ll enjoy it,” Kanaan said, acknowledging an impending retirement. “We’ve finished two hours, so we’re back to make some adjustments and we’ll run as much as we can.”
That’s a common approach with Friday’s forecast calling for the possibility of heavy rain. Because track workers typically need two and a half to three hours to dry the track, Friday could be rainy.
“Two hours go by quickly,” two-time series champion Josef Newgarden speak. “It seems suspicious that we will run [Friday] so everyone’s putting everything into this condensed one-day session and they’re trying to get a lot done.”
