An incident-filled race ended in late retirement for Felix Rosenqvist on the streets of Toronto as the Meyer Shank Racing driver moves on from a difficult NTT INDYCAR SERIES weekend.
A previous Indy Lights race winner and INDYCAR podium finisher on the Canadian street course, Rosenqvist held high hopes going into the event at Toronto’s Exhibition Place, but left largely disappointed having lived through a race of both hope and despair.
After qualifying an uncharacteristic 16th, Rosenqvist quicky rid himself of the fragile soft Firestone tyres on a four-lap opening stint, and then took advantage of a timely caution period to move himself into potential top five contention halfway through the race.
This was despite the added complication of front wing damage, picked up as early as Turn 1, lap one. With a time-consuming front wing change risking to compromise track position in the closely packed field, Rosenqvist was left with no other option but to nurse the dented wing through the race, picking up additional damage along the way as cars hustled for position on the narrow street track.
Also forced to overcome a slow puncture that forced him to pit slightly ahead of schedule for his final stop, Rosenqvist still seemed on course for a top eight finish settling into the final 20 laps of the 90-tour encounter.
It ultimately was not to be, however, as things unravelled on the final stint. An off-track excursion at Turn 3 first dropped the Swede down the order, before a smack into the Turn 10 barriers with three laps to go finally brought down the curtain on a challenging afternoon.
“A tough day,” says Felix Rosenqvist. “I got front wing damage from being sandwiched into the wall on lap one and just kept adding damage to the car throughout the race. For a while it was still looking pretty solid, but in the end it was undrivable with wheels pointing the wrong direction and what have you. I couldn’t make it last to the end, which is a shame of course, but luckily the next race is just a week away. We will come back stronger.”
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES resumes next weekend (July 25-27) for the Java House Grand Prix of Monterey at Laguna Seca. Felix Rosenqvist retains sixth place in the championship standings.
RESULTS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | Rd. 13
Honda Indy Toronto
Streets of Toronto (Canada)
1: Pato O’Ward (MEX), Arrow McLaren, 90 laps
2: Rinus Veekay (NED), Dale Coyne Racing, +0.484s
3: Kyffin Simpson (CYM), Ganassi, +1.534s
4: Colton Herta (USA), Andretti, +2.160s
5: Marcus Ericsson (SWE), Andretti, +3.751s
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DNF: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Meyer Shank Racing, +3 laps
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | After 13/17 races
1: Alex Palou (ESP), Ganassi, 536 p.
2: Pato O’Ward (MEX), Arrow McLaren, 437 p.
3: Kyle Kirkwood (USA), Andretti, 363 p.
4: Scott Dixon (NLZ), Ganassi, 362 p.
5: Christian Lundgaard (DEN), Arrow McLaren, 317 p.
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6: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Meyer Shank Racing, 309 p.