UPDATE: Monday, May 18 at 9:30 PM ET
Ed Carpenter Racing has provided an update on the condition of Alexander Rossi. Rossi, who was involved in a crash Monday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.
A statement, released by ECR, says: “Alexander Rossi underwent successful outpatient procedures this evening to repair minor injuries to a finger on his left hand and his right ankle. He sustained the injuries earlier [Monday] during an on-track incident while practicing for the Indianapolis 500. Rossi is in good spirits and has no additional injuries.”
The team says that Rossi will be under the care of Dr. Julia Vaizer, INDYCAR’s Medical Director, as well as INDYCAR’s Medical Director. His progress will continue to be evaluated with the full intent of participating in Friday’s practice.
2016 Indianapolis 500 champion Alexander Rossi was transported to a local hospital on Monday (May 18), after a multi-car accident in practice for the 110th Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
According to Dr. Julia Vaizer, Medical Director for the NTT IndyCar Series, Rossi, who drives the No. 20 Chevrolet for Ed Carpenter Racing, is awake and alert, and in good spirits, but is being transported for further evaluation.
The 34-year-old native of Nevada Beach, California, is set to start on the front row for the Indianapolis 500 after a stunning qualifying effort in the Firestone Fast Six on Sunday. It is unknown whether Rossi will be cleared to compete in Sunday’s event.
Rossi was involved in a three-car accident just past 1:00 PM ET on Monday, which saw his Java House entry snap around at the exit of Turn 2 and slam into the outside SAFER Barrier, lifting off the ground, before being set back down on its wheels.
Behind the incident, Arrow McLaren driver Pato O’Ward was unable to get his No. 5 Chevrolet stopped and avoid the incident, slamming into the left side of Rossi’s machine. Romain Grosjean, in the Dale Coyne Racing No. 18, was also involved in the incident.
Rossi, O’Ward, and Grosjean initially climbed out of their race cars, although Rossi did so with a little bit of a limp. O’Ward and Grosjean have since been checked and released from the infield medical center at IMS.
“I saw Rossi spinning, and it’s really tough to stop these cars, especially in the middle of the corner when you smash the brake,” said Pato O’Ward. “I was just trying to get away, but as soon as I pulled the car down – because I knew Rossi’s car was going to bounce off the wall – that’s when the rear kind of went from me, and I lost it there. Just feel for the guys that have to rebuild the car.”
Both O’Ward and Grosjean confirmed they spoke to Rossi in the care center.
“Most important thing is that everyone is okay,” Grosjean said. “It happens. Rossi spun, Pato spun, trying to avoid, and I also spun. Not ideal. It’s going to take some time to work on the car. Hoping that Friday’s a dry day so we get two hours of practice, and make sure the car is as good as the one we had here, and go race.”
Grosjean says he “had to go down to the left to avoid the cars on the right-hand side, and that was at the highest point of Gs,” adding he had to brake, slow down, and the car just spun.
Additional updates about the condition of Alexander Rossi and his clearance to compete in the 110th Indianapolis 500 will come at a later date.
