Felix Rosenqvist relived an all-too familiar experience at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Sunday as he once again was taken out on the opening lap of an NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at the Lexington, Ohio, venue.
Rosenqvist’s Mid-Ohio jinx struck yet again this weekend, as – having been punted off at the start in both the 2020 and 2021 events at the track – history cruelly repeated itself in 2023.
This time, it was fellow Swede Marcus Ericsson who collected Rosenqvist just three corners into Sunday’s 80-lap race.
The two countrymen were left stranded at the site as the rest of the 27-car field passed by, with Rosenqvist ultimately able to continue – albeit one lap down and realistically without any hope of a top-line result. He eventually finished 25th, setting the fastest lap of the race for small comfort.
Ericsson, although already out of the race, was handed a 45-second stop-and-go penalty by the stewards for causing the incident.
“It was another frustrating Mid-Ohio race today,” says Felix Rosenqvist. “I got taken out by Marcus at the start, and that was basically the story of the day. I gave him plenty of room on the inside, but I think he just misjudged the corner. He came up to say sorry afterwards, and he took on the responsibility, so good on him for that – but it obviously doesn’t help.
“We tried to get back on the lead lap, running long every stint, hoping for a yellow, but nothing really happened. To rub salt into the wound, this was one of very few INDYCAR races that just stayed green, which was exactly what we didn’t need today.”
Rosenqvist now slips to 13th in the standings, and will be out for redemption as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES resumes on the streets of Toronto – where he scored a podium last year – on July 14-16.
RESULTS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | Rd. 9
Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (USA)
1: Alex Palou (ESP), Ganassi, 80 laps
2: Scott Dixon (NZL), Ganassi, +5.024s
3: Will Power (AUS), Penske, +18.358s
4: Christian Lundgaard (DEN), RLL, +19.082s
5: Scott McLaughlin (NZL), Penske, +20.528s
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25: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Arrow McLaren, +1 lap
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | After 9/17 races
1: Alex Palou (ESP), Ganassi, 377 p.
2: Scott Dixon (NZL), Ganassi, 267 p.
3: Josef Newgarden (USA), Penske, 261 p.
4: Marcus Ericsson (SWE), Ganassi, 255 p.
5: Pato O’Ward (MEX), Arrow McLaren, 250 p.
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13: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Arrow McLaren, 163 p.