Felix Rosenqvist’s complicated relationship with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course resurfaced in all-too familiar fashion this weekend as the Swede saw yet another strong qualifying performance at the track go unrewarded in the Sonsio Grand Prix.
Just days after becoming a father, Rosenqvist was back on track for round six of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season – and seemingly very much on pace.
Backing up his pole position from the previous round at Long Beach, Rosenqvist – a two-time pole-sitter at the IMS road course – put his Meyer Shank Racing Honda a fine third on the grid in qualifying.
Even more encouragingly, he was the top driver lining up with an extra set of new soft Firestone tyres on hand, having opted to stay on used rubber in the Firestone Fast 6 segment.
The strategy aimed clearly at maximising the odds for Saturday’s race, putting Rosenqvist in prime position to finally break his IMS road course duck after all sorts of issues at the venue in recent years.
That would not be the case, however, as Rosenqvist clattered into the back of Pato O’Ward’s McLaren at the race start, pitching them both into a spin and awarding Rosenqvist a drive-through penalty.
“This place keeps giving me some tough love,” says Felix Rosenqvist. “To be honest today, I feel bad about lap one; that was my own mistake. It was a messy start. Someone drove into my rear on the launch, I couldn’t really get going, and got swarmed heading into Turn 1. Christian (Lundgaard) was on my outside and we tried to out-brake each other, and then all of a sudden Pato was there.
“I feel bad for everyone who got involved. I try to race cleanly and not hit people, and I feel I’m usually pretty good at that, but this one was definitely on me.”
Rosenqvist was then involved in a second incident on lap 28 of the 85-lap race, tangling with a couple of spinning cars ahead and retiring with damaged suspension.
“The second hit was just unfortunate,” Felix Rosenqvist continues. “They were battling ahead, clashed, and I just had nowhere to go. It’s a real shame after once again qualifying well here, and we were recovering quite well after what happened at the start.
“We move on and look ahead.”
With the Sonsio Grand Prix now completed, attention turns to the blue-riband event of the Month of May and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season: the Indy 500.
The 110th running of the fabled oval race takes place on Sunday, May 24. Practice begins in just a couple of days, with cars taking to the track from Tuesday and throughout the rest of the week leading up to qualifying weekend on May 16-17.
RESULTS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | Rd. 6
Sonsio Grand Prix
Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course (USA)
1: Christian Lundgaard (DEN), McLaren, 85 laps
2: David Malukas (USA), Penske, +4.671s
3: Graham Rahal (USA), RLL, +7.914s
4: Josef Newgarden (USA), Penske, +10.029s
5: Alex Palou (ESP), Ganassi, +14.363s
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DNF: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Meyer Shank Racing, + 57 laps
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
NTT INDYCAR SERIES | After 6/18 races
1: Alex Palou (ESP), Ganassi, 237 p.
2: Kyle Kirkwood (USA), Andretti, 210 p.
3: David Malukas (USA), Penske, 185 p.
4: Christian Lundgaard (DEN), McLaren, 182 p.
5: Josef Newgarden (USA), Penske, 162 p.
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11: Felix Rosenqvist (SWE), Meyer Shank Racing, 116 p.