Santino Ferrucci was part of the most dramatic accident from this weekend’s IndyCar race from Toronto, flying through the air after colliding with Pato O’Ward.
O’Ward spun on lap 73 and stalled on the racing line just around the first corner of the track. The concrete barriers lining the course meant that he was unsighted to the rest of the field as they came storming past at full racing speed.
Three separate cars impacted the stationary #5 entry, with Ferrucci launching over the top of the car and into the fencing before landing back on the track upside down.
Ferrucci was unhurt in the incident, and maintained that he had no warning at all there was a stationary car on the racing line.
“First off, very, very thankful to IndyCar and the medical team,” Ferrucci told NBC after being cleared from the medical center.
“The cars are so safe, and to have a scary accident like that and just to walk away fine. The cars are so safe. To have a scary accident like that, and just to walk away fine.
“I never saw Pato [O’Ward]. At the start of the race, I had the steering wheel bent trying to avoid Pato, and we were just left hand up, right hand down.
“When I came through there [on lap 73], I never saw Pietro [Fittipaldi] clip him. Nothing on the spotters. There was no yellows, no nothing. I didn’t know to check up.
“Super unfortunate. Trying to take care of equipment, trying to have a recovery day. Just a bummer, but we’re going into a couple of ovals. We’ll recover there and go for some wins.”
Ferrucci is the second AJ Foyt driver in as many races to put the structural integrity of the Aeroscreen to the test, with significant damage seen to the top of the protective device.
His critique of the lack of warning was corroborated by other drivers, who also were caught off guard by the stopped car at the exit of Turn 1.
There was approximately 4.5 seconds between the time O’Ward came to a stop on track and when Ferrucci collided with him.
Even if a full safety car message could not be sent out in that time, there was likely time enough for a corner worker to have waved a local yellow flag in order to give drivers some warning that there was an incident ahead.
TV angles were not fully conclusive in showing if a yellow flag was being displayed in a time and location that would have allowed drivers to see and react to the information.
O’Ward, who shared a picture of an ice pack on his knee after the incident, was also at a loss as to why he had a field full of cars racing towards him while he sat helplessly on the track.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” O’Ward said after being released by IndyCar’s medical team. “I had rear locking, spun and that’s pretty much the end of that.
“I’m so surprised IndyCar didn’t call a yellow. You’re just calling for a massive shunt. They had a solid five seconds to call a yellow and tell everybody that was coming. I’m glad everybody else that was in it is fine. Sorry for the team.”
In all, six cars were involved in the accident, five of which had to retire on the spot.
The teams involved will be thankful they have four weeks to order replacement parts and make all the repairs necessary before the next event at World Wide Technology Raceway August 17.
