And when the race was restarted, there were just 12 laps between the drivers at the head of the order, and victory. “I know how big this news is going to be tomorrow when they wake up in Japan. One of them came through”. Honda engine failures also ended the hopes of Ryan Hunter-Reay and Charlie Kimball.
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It’s only unfortunate that Fernando Alonso’s Indianapolis 500 run had to end in a retirement.
With Sato’s win, this is the second consecutive victory at the Indy 500 for Andretti Autosport and the team’s third first place finish there in the past four years. Last year’s victor Alexander Rossi, who led six times for 23 laps, finished seventh. “They gave the good engine to Alonso, but they gave the meaning engine to Takuma Sato”.
Coincidentally, Sato’s only podium finish in 90 Formula One starts (from 2002-08) came on the road course at The Brickyard, when he finished third in the 2004 United States Grand Prix. “The Hondas had a little bit more”. A handful of engines went down during practice and qualifying, and James Hinchcliffe lost his engine with only minutes left in the final practice on Carb Day. The obligations are seemingly never-ending for the next few days, and when he finally got out of his milk-soaked firesuit Sunday night, there was a team celebration back at the hotel.
For a while, it looked as if everything would be OK. “It’s two years in a row that Andretti Autosport has given me a vehicle to win this race, and it’s two years in a row that circumstances outside our control have taken us out”.
While the open wheel racing world buzzed about two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonzo during practice and qualifications, Takuma Sato quietly went about having a solid month of preparations for the 101st Indianapolis 500. But he challenged for the lead much of the day, leading 27 laps before his Honda engine blew after 179 of 200 laps.
“Michael Andretti gave me a fantastic opportunity with his team”. Officials later assessed a drive through penalty on the Team Penske driver for jumping the start. “If anything, I blame all of us, pushing Honda so hard”.
“It is unbelievable”, Sato said after celebrating with the traditional glass of milk in victory circle.
Other than accessibility and overtaking, another area where the Indy 500 scored over F1 is the fact the prize money is made public.
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“Obviously if I come back here, at least I know how everything is”. Frei apologized and said his tweet occurred during an emotional time when he was honoring his late father, who was a World War II pilot in the fight against Japan. He came through a race where he dodged disaster with Scott Dixon’s auto splintering and flying over his head, had a drive-through penalty for passing under the yellow flag, and raced most of the day with part of his rear wing missing. His performance in 2017 has more than made up for it.
