The NTT IndyCar Series has announced a $25,000 fine to Alexander Rossi, winner of Saturday’s Indianapolis Grand Prix, the loss of 20 points for the Californian in the Drivers’ championship and 20 points have also been taken from the Andretti Autosport team in the Entrants’ championship for a post-race technical inspection failure the No. 27 Honda.
IndyCar cited violations of Rule 14.4.1.1: The minimum weight shall include the car in ready-to-compete condition excluding Driver, Driver Equivalency Weight, fuel and drink bottle content, and Rule 14.4.1.1.1: Minimum weight for Road/Street Events – will be 1700 pounds
“From a sporting perspective, the car met minimum requirements,” said IndyCar President Jay Frye. “From a technical perspective, the way they achieved the weight is not allowed. To meet minimum weight, the drink bottle and its contents were used as car ballast, which is not permitted and why the team is being fined and penalized.”
In a follow-up call to IndyCar, RACER understands the No. 27 Honda participated in the 85-lap race with the car at or above the weight limit and would have been disqualified if the car was found to have run below minimum weight. RACER awaits a response on other questions related to the car’s post-race weight and where disqualification fit among the options that were and weren’t chosen.
It is common for teams like Andretti Autosport to outfit their cars with Camelback-style fluid bladders that are filled with somewhere between 70-120 ounces of each driver’s preferred liquid. As the bladders are occasionally mounted in remote areas in the car, pit crews sometimes fill or empty the bladders with a pump, and in rare situations, teams have forgotten to drain the bladders prior to going through post-race technical inspection.
With the loss of 20 points, Rossi drops from eighth (318 points) in the championship to ninth (298), promoting Arrow McLaren SP’s Felix Rosenqvist to eighth (299).