Being the first rookie to qualify for the Indy 500 on pole since 1983, 25 year-old Robert Shwartzman went from prime position to a heartbreaking upset during this year’s race on Monday (AEST).
Wanting to make up time after some mishaps at the start of the race, Shwartzman, at the end of his 87th lap and driving in 13th position, lost all control of his brakes and struck his crew in the pits in a terrifying incident.
Sliding all the way into the pit wall, he took out four of his team members, with one being carried out on a stretcher.
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“When it was yellow I came in and honestly it felt really strange, I locked both front tires which usually is not the case” he said.
Not being sure if it was the brakes or the cold tires from the weather, Shwartzman said that he nevertheless was grateful for the overall outcome of the frightening accident.
“Luckily nobody got really hardly injured. It was really scary. When I braked I was just a passenger,” he said.
McLaughlin distraught after crashing out | 02:03
Meanwhile, Spain’s Alex Palou held off Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson over the final laps to win the 109th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday and capture his first oval triumph.
Palou became the first Spaniard to reach Victory Lane after 200 laps over the famed 2.5-mile (4km) Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval and made his breakthrough in his 29th oval start.
“I cannot believe it. What an amazing day. What an amazing race,” Palou said. “It’s amazing to win.”
Palou, who has won five of this year’s first six IndyCar races, took the checkered flag under caution after American Nolan Siegel crashed near the back of the field.
“It has been amazing,” Palou said of his superb season start. “The team I have around me, they make me look good on track.”
Ericsson, the 2022 Indy 500 winner, refuelled with 24 laps remaining and returned to the track still in front, just ahead of Palou with American David Malukas third.
Palou, who started on the outside of the second row, passed Ericsson on the inside at the first turn with 14 laps remaining and was drafting off slower cars to save fuel over the final laps.
“Tough conditions out there, especially when you were third or fourth in the pack,” Palou said.
“Even leading (miles per gallon), the fuel consumption was super high.”
Palou was well ahead coming out of the last turn on the final lap when the caution flag came out and he continued over the finish line to complete his historic triumph.
“There were some moments that I felt really good in the race,” Palou said. “But at the end I didn’t know if I was going to be able to pass Marcus or not, but yeah, made it happen.” Ericsson had to settle for second with Malukas third.
“That was painful to miss out so close again, second time second,” Ericsson said. “This is a winner-takes-all kind of place, so yeah, it’s really painful.”
“I’m not going to lie, I was crying coming into the pits,” Malukas said. “We were just so close to getting it.” After the victory, Palou stopped the car and ran down pit row to celebrate with his crew and team owner Chip Ganassi.
“Amazing. Best celebration ever,” Palou said.
Ganassi sang the praises of Palou, who seeks a fourth season crown in five years.
“The guy is just unbelievable,” Ganassi said. “It’s going to make Alex Palou’s career, it’s going to make his life, and it certainly has made mine.”
Two-time defending champion Josef Newgarden’s bid for an unprecedented Indy three-peat ended with a fuel pressure issue on lap 135.
“It’s tough not to have a shot at the end,” he said. “We didn’t get to see what we had.”
The race began in cool and overcast conditions after a brief rain delay and several incidents quickly followed.
Marco Andretti, grandson of racing legend Mario, crashed out on the first lap, hitting the outer wall in the first turn.
Japan’s Takuma Sato, a two-time Indy 500 winner, led but skidded six feet past his pit stop point and fell back.
American Kyle Larson’s bid to run every lap at Indy and a 600-mile NASCAR race on Sunday night at Charlotte was foiled with a restart crash into the outer wall of turn two on lap 92.
Dutchman Rinus Veekay struck the pit lane entry area inner wall. “Just really had no bite on the brakes,” Veekay said.
American Alexander Rossi’s car caught fire while being refuelled but there were no injuries.
“It’s so disappointing,” he said. “All I know is the gearbox was starting to go.”
New Zealand’s Scott McLaughlin crashed into the inner wall of the front straightaway on a warm-up lap, ending his race before it began.
“I really have no idea what happened,” a distraught McLaughlin said.
“I’m just really upset for my team. They built me a fantastic car again. I’m really sorry to my sponsors, my fans, my family. I don’t know what happened.
“I’m still… I can’t believe we’re out of the race. I just had so much hope today. Yeah, it’s by far, the worst moment of my life.
“I know it’s probably dramatic and whatever, but I put so much into this race, everyone does, and I didn’t even get to see the green flag.”