Published By: Sports Desk
Last Updated: March 25, 2024, 00:00 IST
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IndyCar’s exhibition Thermal $1 million Challenge acquired off to a rocky begin Sunday when Romain Grosjean was crashed on the opening lap of the primary warmth race and fumed about the price of the injury for his small workforce.
THERMAL, Calif.: IndyCar’s exhibition Thermal $1 million Challenge acquired off to a rocky begin Sunday when Romain Grosjean was crashed on the opening lap of the primary warmth race and fumed about the price of the injury for his small workforce.
“I mean, who is going to pay for the damage? We come here with no points on the line and do nothing wrong and the car is completely smashed,” Grosjean stated after strolling from his crashed automotive alongside the personal, members-only street course again to pit street.
“It’s not what I signed (up for) with IndyCar.”
The second warmth race was uneventful.
IndyCar’s first non-points race since 2008 is filling a gap in IndyCar’s early-season schedule and really solely pays $500,000 as a result of the Thermal Club members shied away from collaborating within the occasion with an identical buy-in. Club members as an alternative have been randomly paired with groups for an embedded weekend expertise with an IndyCar group.
The occasion is designed to be like an all-star race and has a singular format during which solely 12 drivers take part in the primary occasion. The dozen all-stars superior into the “A Main” by ending within the prime six of considered one of two warmth races. The warmth races have been 10 laps, or 20 minutes, whichever comes first.
It went awry moments after the primary warmth started on the 17-turn, 3.067-mile raceway when Scott Dixon bumped into the again of Grosjean, inflicting Grosjean to spin into Rinus VeeKay, who clipped Christian Lundgaard. Dixon was given an avoidable contact penalty as Grosjean, who moved to IndyCar from Formula 1, seethed.
Grosjean is in his first season with Juncos Hollinger Racing — the third workforce in 4 years for Grosjean — and the tiny group doesn’t have the identical working finances as the highest IndyCar groups. JHR was boosted, although, when Agustín Canapino superior into the race that pays via the primary warmth.
Felix Rosenqvist gained the primary warmth from the pole within the eight laps he was capable of full within the allotted time. Also transferring out of the primary warmth have been Team Penske teammates Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden, Lundgaard, Canapino and Colton Herta.
Nolan Siegel, a 19-year-old making his IndyCar debut, simply missed the ultimate switch spot by ending seventh within the warmth. Because it’s a non-points occasion, Siegel gained’t be credited with beginning an IndyCar race. Also eradicated within the first warmth have been Dixon and Will Power, who needed to go vast off beam to keep away from the first-lap accident.
Reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou gained the second warmth, which went the total 10 laps in slightly below 17 minutes, from the pole. His Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Marcus Armstrong and Linus Lundqvist each additionally superior. Lundqvist is the one rookie in the primary occasion as Ganassi and Rahal Letterman Lanigan have been the one workforce to land three vehicles within the ultimate.
Christian Fittipaldi and Alexander Rossi claimed the ultimate two spots. Rossi needed to maintain off his Arrow McLaren Racing teammate Pato O’Ward for the final switch spot. Also lacking out was Callum Ilott, in his final scheduled begin for McLaren, Ganassi rookie Kyffin Simpson, and Marcus Ericsson, who crashed in Saturday qualifying.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
