Dangerous Situation Leads IndyCar Officiating To Change Caution Policy

Alexander Rossi's disable Chevrolet IndyCar is on the hook about to be towed off the track after it stopped in the middle of the front straight in the May 8 Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. INDYCAR Photo A controversy that left NTT IndyCar Series driver Alexander Rossi and his No. 20 Chevrolet at risk in Saturday’s Sonsio Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has led IndyCar Officiating to make a change on its full course caution policy.

While the move may come in the interest of safety, which is a good thing, the decision to close the pits in the middle of green flag pit stops should a caution flag be enforced will create a competitive disadvantage by splitting the field. Effective immediately, IndyCar Officiating will no longer take into consideration pit windows and the running order of cars on track before deploying a FCY (Full Course Yellow). While there is no change to local yellow procedures, initiation of a FCY will be based primarily on: driver status, vehicle position and condition, the location and readiness of safety personnel, recovery access, and the speed differential between affected cars and approaching traffic.

The controversy began on Lap 21, when Rossi’s ECR Chevrolet lost power and stopped on the front straightaway on drivers’ right of the track – off the racing line. Course marshals followed standard flagging protocol and deployed a standing yellow condition at Marshal Panel 14, with a corresponding waving yellow condition at Marshal Panel S/F (start-finish) to alert competitors to the stationary car. The escalation to a full course yellow (FCY) was made on Lap 22 as the driver began to exit the race car.

Rossi was furious believing IndyCar left him in a dangerous position. That “local yellow” instead of a “full course yellow” played a decisive moment in the race. Rossi’s car was positioned in an area that every car coming out of Turn 14 could clearly see and that may have been the reason to wait until the pit stop sequence was completed for all cars on the track.