Q: Alexander Rossi intrigues me. I am a fan, but his general/public demeanor makes him appear to be aloof and non-caring — even on a podcast with his name in it. I have seen him be very generous with fans first-hand so it almost seems his persona is calculated. Was he this affected by F1?
As an amateur psychologist, I think this is just a coping mechanism. That said, he seems to not like half the tracks, dislikes sim work, and people in general (a trait I can relate to.)
He’s a smart guy but is he too smart for his own good? I realize this is a results sport but he does himself no favors outside the car.
Teams must see this and I can’t imagine he’d ever be Penske material again. Is his manager part of this? Does Dad not call him out?
Mike DeQuardo, Elkhart Lake, WI
MP: I struggled to make sense of Rossi until my wife, an introvert, began explaining some of the deep-cut attributes exhibited by many introverts. As an extrovert, it was a huge “aha” moment.
Almost everything you’ve assigned to Rossi are things I would attach to Newgarden as well — introvert, lets himself loose on his Bus Bros content done in a controlled environment that you wouldn’t see him comfortable doing among a large group of people, can be prickly, but also very giving and charming in smaller settings when he’s at ease, etc.
If Rossi starts winning again, and provided McLaren doesn’t have him signed up for a super-long contract, I think he’d be a perfect candidate at Penske. I can’t find the outside-the-car items that would disinterest other teams if he’s putting up multiple wins each year.
Q: Regarding the IndyCar officials on pit lane in the yellow fire suits, could you elaborate as to what they monitor in the pits during both practice and race day?
With the recent on-air discussions on how the IndyCar medical team establishes a cognitive baseline for each driver before the season starts in order to evaluate a driver’s cognitive health if needed during the season, how would this work for a relief driver like Tom Blomqvist, whom I presume did not participate in the preseason assessments?
Doug
MP: The pit techs observe, inform, field questions from the teams, and maintain safety and order, led by IndyCar technical director Kevin Blanch. They’re the on-the-field referees we see in other sports, but aren’t nearly as intrusive as we see in the NFL or NBA.
The IMPACT test can be quickly administered by IndyCar with ease prior to a race, and every driver needs to pass their physical evaluation and receive sign-off from the series medical team and IndyCar’s competition group led by Jay Frye. Tom having to step in with a few days’ notice was not a big deal; IndyCar has a well-defined process for such things.
Q: I thought IndyCar completely mishandled the opening-lap crash and subsequent track blockage in Toronto. There should have been an immediate red flag, anyone who was blocked but ultimately able to continue should have been waved around and not lost a lap, and Rahal should have been placed at the back for illegally using a runoff area to pass. This is supposed to be entertainment, and the fans and sponsors want their cars to get visibility. In this instance I think it was only a couple of cars that could have continued, but Rossi is a big name so why not keep him and any others on the lead lap (for a while at least)?
IndyCar seems to make these kind of anti-entertainment decisions too often (the 500 being the only memorable pro-entertainment decision that comes to mind). For instance, I think they should be looking for situations for wave arounds as a regular part of the process during all yellows, for everyone a lap down. Why not keep as many cars as possible in the conversation?
Doug
MP: Actually, it’s supposed to be a sport that also, hopefully, entertains. With the hair-trigger use of red flags at Indy, a track blockage on the first lap did seem like an easy call to make with a red. But whenever I think something’s an obvious call this year, in IndyCar or IMSA, the opposite happens, so I no longer trust my judgement. As I saw someone opine on social media, more than 10 percent of the race was burned by not going red which, for those who paid to see a motor race, might have compounded the question as to why the race wasn’t stopped. And since it was only being aired on Peacock — at least in the U.S. — it’s not like there was a big event waiting to knock it off the air.
Rahal did nothing illegal, so let’s not make things up and say he did. Also, I’m confused, because if we’re saying misfortune should have fewer consequences and drivers should get their laps back, just for the sake of it to improve the entertainment value, why would Rahal deserve a penalty for passing a bunch of cars to avoid going a lap down?
Q: For my 80th birthday I’m going to the 2024 500. Which section should I sit in?
Ed
MP: That’s a great birthday gift to yourself, Ed. Since I’ve never bought a ticket or sat in a seat for the Indy 500, I asked my favorite IndyCar group on Facebook to help with answers. And here are a few replies I picked in case you aren’t on Facebook:
1) ‘I’ve sat a few different spots over the years. I find SW vista (exit of T1 to the short chute) to be very easy access with lots of washrooms. Shade under the stands all race as well should one need to take a break…’
2) ‘This year was my 64th. Indy. I have tickets in Northwest Vista up high and also seats in E Penthouse. I’ve sat in both and actually enjoy my Turn 4 seats a bit better. But, as people have said, they are uncovered and can be brutal on a hot day. If you have a small bladder, the steps can be brutal too. E Penthouse has elevator access through B Penthouse and it’s an easier trek to the restroom. For a first-timer, I would probably try and find Paddock Penthouse near start finish line. He will have good seats, have great views of all the pageantry, see pit stops and be under cover and they won’t break the bank.’
3) ‘Call IMS ticket office and tell them your situation. They are wonderful with helping customers. Maybe you’ll get a seat at the finish line.’
4) ‘We sit in A Penthouse and love it. Covered so you don’t bake in sun. Will be costly in secondary market, but worth it. Elevators up to top and view is incredible. A is great also because it is toward the end of pit road and gives you the tip-of-the-spear pit action.’
Q: Toronto was the first IndyCar race I have gone to in person in about six years, and me and my buddy thoroughly enjoyed it. Packed crowd, good atmosphere and a good setup, they utilize the space really well. I was surprised with the huge amount of F1 fans there, it seemed like the same amount of people were wearing F1 merch as those wearing IndyCar stuff. I talked to a few of them, just curious to see why they wanted to come to an IndyCar race, and many of them said it was in town and they wanted to check it out, plus it was much cheaper than the F1 race in Montreal. Perhaps the rapid growth of F1 is helping IndyCar and other racing series as well?
I had a curious thought this week. Why don’t we see a Red Bull presence in the IndyCar paddock? It seems with their backlog of junior drivers waiting for an F1 seat, it would be worthwhile to have a couple of them come over here and get racing experience with a pretty competitive field. At least organize a partnership with an existing outfit.
Dan, Rochester, NY
MP: I loved seeing the year-on-year increase in crowds, Dan. On the paddock/participation side, they are the best Formula 1 team in the world and are followed/seen by roughly the same amount of people in the U.S. who watch F1 races on TV as people in the U.S. who watch IndyCar on TV, so I can’t find the marketing value there. On the Red Bull Junior Driver placement side, that makes a ton of sense. Chip Ganassi has one or two seats that could be bought and used to develop that talent, but after that, you run out of top-tier teams who are willing to run paying drivers (Andretti, Penske) or aren’t a rival in F1 (McLaren).