IndyCar’s Devlin DeFrancesco goes AIRBORNE and spins 180 degrees in season-opening crash
IndyCar’s Devlin DeFrancesco goes into the AIRBORNE and spins 180 degrees in the opening crash of the season on the first lap.
It was an unlucky start to the season for Canadian IndyCar driver Devlin DeFrancesco, who suffered an airborne crash that knocked him out of the first race of the year.
At the St. Petersburg Grand Prix in Florida, the No. 29 Andretti Autosport machine was caught up in a spin-out that claimed multiple cars on the first lap.
In addition to DeFrancesco, Felix Rosenqvist, Helio Castroneves, Santolino Ferrucci, Sting Ray Robb, Benjamin Pedersen and Simon Pagenaud were also involved.
But it was Toronto native DeFrancesco who got it worst, as Pedersen failed to see the spinout in time to set the right course, punching into DeFrancesco’s side.
The car took to the air, turning 180 degrees before landing on the same side up, but facing the opposite wall.
Devlin DeFrancesco was ejected into the air on the first lap of the St. Petersburg Grand Prix
DeFrancesco was fine and was released from medical care after bracing for the wreckage
Last year’s Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson took the black and white checkered flag in St. Pete
DeFrancesco was later cleared by staff to leave medical facilities and told Racer, “I’m fine.”
Not the way you want to start the season. We were concerned about Turn 3 and made IndyCar very aware of it.
“There have been several incidents there all weekend because it is slippery. And that was the scenario that happened to me.
“I saw Helio spinning in front of me and then I saw the No. 55 coming and I knew it was going to be a big one and braced myself and got ready for it. It’s been a wild ride.’
It was a poor performance overall for the Andretti team, despite an excellent start on the street circuit.
Drivers Romain Grosjean and Colton Herta started the Grand Prix 1-2, but finished in P18 and P20 respectively. Kyle Kirkwood finished best ahead of Andretti on P15.
Last season’s Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson took the black and white checkered flag to open the season in his Chip Ganassi machine. Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward finished in P2 and P3 went to Ericsson’s teammate Scott Dixon.