“This is so sad”: IndyCar driver involved in a violent crash in Indy 500 practice

Ericsson, the 2022 Indianapolis 500 champion and last year’s runner-up, was the last driver in a four-car line when he seemed to scrape the curb in Turn 4, causing him to spin 180 degrees and pound the outside wall.

The momentum pushed the Swede’s No. 28 Andretti Global Honda back, spinning across the track and slamming the inside wall with the nose of his car before colliding hard with the attenuator at the pit entry and coming to a rest right in the lane.

IndyCar’s AMR Safety Team arrived immediately to assist Ericsson, who cautiously exited his machine and walked away on his own strength.

“Yes, I’m feeling OK. Obviously, it was quite a success… “Obviously lost it in the middle there,” Ericsson said after being examined and discharged from the infield care center. “I believe I brushed the curb a tiny bit, which is probably enough to send it. And you’re a passenger, so yeah. Extremely disappointed.

“I’m very sad for my squad. They’ve done an excellent job, and they still have a lot of work ahead of them, so that’s probably the worst of the situation.”

Ericsson’s collision is the second of the day, after fellow Swede and IndyCar Series rookie Linus Lundqvist wrecked after colliding with the curbing at Turn 2.

Ericsson, who is in his first year with Andretti after four years at Chip Ganassi Racing, clocked 79 laps on the day before the collision, with a best speed of 224.592mph to place 18th on the timing sheets.