Watch as Indy500 drivers COLLIDE at first turn of delayed race as Indiana showpiece gets off to nightmare start
A rain-delayed Indianapolis 500 saw a three-car wreck in Turn 1, kicking off “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
It all started when rookie Tom Blomqvist of Great Britain in the No. 66 Meyer Shank machine lost control of his car on the grass apron on the inside of the first turn and spun away.
He spun straight into 2022 Indy 500 winner and former Formula 1 driver Marcus Ericsson in the No. 28 Andretti, who had no time to avoid the wreck and was immediately out of the race.
When this crash occurred, No. 6 Arrow McLaren driver Callum Ilott entered the inside of the track at the same time that No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Pietro Fittipaldi attempted to dive down to avoid the wreck.
Fittipaldi made contact with Ilott and spun away – the third and final victim of the race’s first incident.
Marcus Ericsson’s built-in camera after a crash in the first turn of the Indianapolis 500
General view during a rain delay for the 108th running of the Indycar Series of the Indianapolis 500
Fans were asked to take shelter, and while most took cover, a small group of attendees were seen racing each other on foot through the concourse in Indianapolis.
Track president J. Douglas Boles said drying equipment would take about two hours to dry the 2.8-mile oval, but it was expected the race would start about four hours late and all 200 laps would be done before dark rounded.
āOur plan has always been to get the Indianapolis 500 in today and I think we’re on track to do that,ā Boles said.
Heavy storms were expected all week, arriving around 12:45 p.m., just as the green flag was due to drop.
Along with heavy rain, the tire brought wind gusts of up to 70 km per hour and dangerous lightning, and video boards at the race track advised fans who had already entered the highway to seek shelter.
The race didn’t start until hours later, when the flag dropped at 4:44 PM Eastern Time.