The Mexican driver became a collateral victim of a violent impact triggered by Alexander Rossi during the penultimate practice session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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| Photo: INDYCAR/FOX Sports |
High tension took over the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this Monday afternoon during the seventh and penultimate practice session for the 110th edition of the Indianapolis 500. Mexican driver Patricio 'Pato' O'Ward was involved in a spectacular multi-car accident in Turn 2 of the 2.5-mile oval, from which he fortunately managed to climb out under his own power without any physical injuries.
The incident was triggered when American driver Alexander Rossi lost control of his No. 20 car and crashed violently into the outer SAFER barrier. O'Ward, who was running close behind in a dense 20-car pack, attempted to apply the brakes to avoid him. However, due to the high speeds of the circuit and a loss of grip—compounded by rain conditions—the No. 5 Arrow McLaren car spun, struck Rossi's car, and subsequently ricocheted heavily into the interior wall.
The chain reaction didn't stop there, as Frenchman Romain Grosjean (Dale Coyne Racing) also spun while trying to avoid the debris field, hitting the outside wall of the backstretch. Conor Daly also reported minor bodywork damage after running over scattered debris on the track. Following the incident, the session was halted under a yellow flag for 15 minutes before IndyCar officials decided to end the practice early due to the imminent threat of a lightning storm.
O'Ward, Rossi, and Grosjean were thoroughly evaluated at the infield medical center and released immediately. Dr. Julia Vaizer reported that Rossi was "awake, alert, and in good spirits." Meanwhile, the Monterrey native regretted the damage done to his primary car, which suffered significant rear-end damage:
"I'm fine, but I just feel bad for my car. Just wrong place, wrong time. I stepped on the brakes, but these cars don't stop very well at those speeds. I'm glad Alex is fine, Romain too... but yeah, this sucks," O'Ward told Fox Sports.
The Arrow McLaren crew is working around the clock to evaluate whether the damaged primary chassis can be repaired or if they will have to switch to the backup car. It is worth noting that the Mexican driver completed qualifying last Sunday in a solid sixth starting position for next weekend's race, while Alex Palou claimed the pole position. Before Sunday's main event, the schedule only includes one final two-hour practice session on Friday.
Alexander Rossi SPINS in Turn 2 😳
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) May 18, 2026
Multiple cars are collected as they try to avoid the incident. pic.twitter.com/rOBoa5cERr
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