2018 IndyCar champion Scott Dixon feared a fightback from title-rival Alexander Rossi after the Californian's first lap clash with team-mate Marco Andretti at the Grand Prix of Sonoma.
As the race began with Ryan Hunter-Reay leading the field away, Rossi ended up into the back of Andretti's #98 US Concrete car, breaking his front wing which further caused a puncture on the front right tyre.
Rossi limped his #27 NAPA Auto Parts car back to the pits whilst taking a different route around NASCAR layout of the Sonoma circuit, but handed the places he gained in the esses section before making his way onto pit road.
Dixon admits once he was told about Rossi's misfortune in the race, he had trepidation about how Rossi could come back through the pack once he got back on the lead lap and spoil his afternoon. He also admits to watching the position Pylon throughout the race, monitoring Rossi's charge through the field.
"With IndyCar racing, you think somebody that has a problem in the first corner, they tend to go on and win the race," Dixon said.
"I'm like, Oh, no. I've been in that situation. I'm like, Please, let that not be today. I didn't obviously see that part of the start.
"The team came on as I exited the carrousel in turn six and said, 'There's going to be some cars coming back in seven that have taken a shortcut, damaged car'. I could see it was Rossi.
"That was the first thing that clicked in, Man, he's going to have a good day, return, fix the car, have a strong strategy and come through. I followed it on the pylon. I could see how he was moving up.
"He's a fierce competitor. So is Michael and everybody at that team. We saw that those cars had tremendous speed, from Hunter-Reay that was controlling the pace today.
"Yeah, there was no point that I wasn't worried about that situation.
