Felix Rosenqvist was forced to retire from the 108th Indianapolis 500 after running in the top ten in the early parts of the race, suffering an engine failure at quarter distance.
Following a four-hour start delay due to heavy rain at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the race eventually got underway as the weather improved on Sunday afternoon.
Rosenqvist started INDYCAR’s blue-riband event from ninth, as the top Honda contender aboard his #60 Meyer Shank Racing machine, and ran steadily within the leading group through the first round of pit stops.
The effort literally went up in smoke on lap 56 of 200, however, as Rosenqvist ground to a halt down the backstretch of the 2.5-mile IMS oval.
“I felt a power loss on the main straight, and then the car just stopped and we had to retire,” says Felix Rosenqvist. “It’s a real shame; the #60 AutoNation / SiriusXM car was probably one of the best I’ve had here at IMS. It was better today in the race than ever before this month.
“It’s a disappointing end to weeks of work for everyone on the team, of course – but we also have to be proud. We came here with the challenge of taking on not only our first oval race together, but doing it in the biggest race in the world. We managed to qualify as the fastest Honda car and the guys and girls of MSR have done a fantastic job.
“Unfortunately these kinds of things happen, but we’ll press on to Detroit and forget this quickly. We’re extremely motivated and I’m confident we have a lot of good races ahead.”
MSR team-mate Tom Blomqvist also retired, while Helio Castroneves took 20th to bring home the squad’s best result of the day.
There will be an immediate opportunity to bounce back in just a few days’ time, as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES regroups on the streets of Detroit this coming weekend for the next round of the campaign.
RESULTS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | Rd. 5
108th Running of the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis Motor Speedway (USA)
1: Josef Newgarden (USA), Penske, 200 laps
2: Pato O’Ward (MEX), Arrow McLaren, +0.341s
3: Scott Dixon (NZL), Ganassi, +0.909s
4: Alexander Rossi (USA), Arrow McLaren, +1.169s
5: Alex Palou (ESP), Ganassi, +1.507s
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DNF: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Meyer Shank Racing, +145 laps
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | After 5/17 races
1: Alex Palou (ESP), Ganassi, 183 p.
2: Scott Dixon (NZL), Ganassi, 163 p.
3: Will Power (AUS), Penske, 157 p.
4: Pato O’Ward (MEX), Arrow McLaren, 134 p.
5: Colton Herta (USA), Andretti, 134 p.
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9: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Meyer Shank Racing, 116 p.