INDIANAPOLIS – IndyCar drivers remain befuddled as to why race control failed to deploy a full-course caution days after Alexander Rossi’s No. 20 Chevrolet shut off during Saturday’s Sonsio Grand Prix.
Rossi, who’s in his second year driving for Ed Carpenter Racing, experienced a hybrid failure that brought him to a stop at the start-finish line at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was initially ruled a local caution, with the rest of the track under a green flag. It wasn’t until a lap later, when Rossi exited his car and forced race control’s hand, that a full-course caution went into effect.
IndyCar Officiating altered its rule surrounding cautions on Tuesday morning, announcing that race control will no longer take pit windows and the running order of cars into consideration when deciding whether to deploy full-course cautions. Race control will now evaluate “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” when deciding on full-course cautions.
Crews tend to Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon (9) and A.J. Foyt Enterprises driver Caio Collet (4) in the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Juncos Hollinger Racing driver Rinus Veekay (76) drives a damaged car after contact on the first lap Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Smoke rises from the cars of Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon (9) and A.J. Foyt Enterprises driver Caio Collet (4) in the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou (10) looks up at the flyover Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Team Penske driver Josef Newgarden (2) walks pit road Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Arrow McLaren driver Christian Lundgaard (7) stands on the grid Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou (10) talks with team owner Chip Ganassi on Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Arrow McLaren driver Pato O’Ward (5) prepares to get in his car Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Team Penske driver David Malukas (12) stands on the grid Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
A.J. Foyt Enterprises driver Santino Ferrucci (14) talks on the grid Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Mick Schumacher (47) prepares to get in his car Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou (10) looks up at the flyover Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Crews tend to Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon (9) and A.J. Foyt Enterprises driver Caio Collet (4) in the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
A KC-135 Stratotanker flies over the track Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Crews tend to Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon (9) and A.J. Foyt Enterprises driver Caio Collet (4) in the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.1 / 26
Crash photos from 2026 Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Crews tend to Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon (9) and A.J. Foyt Enterprises driver Caio Collet (4) in the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Crash photos from 2026 Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Crews tend to Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon (9) and A.J. Foyt Enterprises driver Caio Collet (4) in the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Crash photos from 2026 Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Crash photos from 2026 Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Crash photos from 2026 Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Juncos Hollinger Racing driver Rinus Veekay (76) drives a damaged car after contact on the first lap Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Crash photos from 2026 Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Smoke rises from the cars of Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon (9) and A.J. Foyt Enterprises driver Caio Collet (4) in the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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IndyCar comes to the 2026 Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou (10) looks up at the flyover Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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IndyCar comes to the 2026 Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Team Penske driver Josef Newgarden (2) walks pit road Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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IndyCar comes to the 2026 Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Arrow McLaren driver Christian Lundgaard (7) stands on the grid Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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IndyCar comes to the 2026 Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou (10) talks with team owner Chip Ganassi on Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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IndyCar comes to the 2026 Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Arrow McLaren driver Pato O’Ward (5) prepares to get in his car Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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IndyCar comes to the 2026 Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Team Penske driver David Malukas (12) stands on the grid Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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IndyCar comes to the 2026 Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
A.J. Foyt Enterprises driver Santino Ferrucci (14) talks on the grid Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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IndyCar comes to the 2026 Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Mick Schumacher (47) prepares to get in his car Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
14 / 26
IndyCar comes to the 2026 Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou (10) looks up at the flyover Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Crash photos from 2026 Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Crash photos from 2026 Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Crash photos from 2026 Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Crash photos from 2026 Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
19 / 26
Crash photos from 2026 Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Crews tend to Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon (9) and A.J. Foyt Enterprises driver Caio Collet (4) in the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Crash photos from 2026 Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Crash photos from 2026 Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Crash photos from 2026 Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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IndyCar comes to the 2026 Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
A KC-135 Stratotanker flies over the track Saturday, May 9, 2026, ahead of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Crash photos from 2026 Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Crash photos from 2026 Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Cars spin and collide as they enter the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Crash photos from 2026 Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Crews tend to Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon (9) and A.J. Foyt Enterprises driver Caio Collet (4) in the first turn Saturday, May 9, 2026, during the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The hesitancy to go to a full-course yellow was because some of the race leaders, including Alex Palou and Kyle Kirkwood, had not yet done their first pit stop of the race. Pit lane closes once full-course cautions are deployed and opens before restarts. Neither Palou nor Kirkwood’s timing stands were aware that race control hadn’t initially gone to a full-course yellow, which caused both drivers to not pit until they reopened during the caution.
Palou, the race favorite, finished fifth while Kirkwood was ninth. Arrow McLaren’s Christian Lundgaard captured the checkered flag after a late pass on David Malukas.
When speaking on Tuesday morning’s episode of his podcast Off Track with Hinch and Rossi, which Rossi co-hosts with Fox analyst James Hinchcliffe and producer Tim Durham, Rossi said he initially thought race control made it a full-course yellow.
“I kept looking at the flag stand and they were waving a yellow,” Rossi said. “And I was like, ‘Oh, surely it’s a full-course-yellow,’ because the guy right above me was waving yellows. But then I was like, ‘Man, people are hauling (expletive) way too fast for this to be a full-course yellow.’”
Rossi looked toward Turn 1 and saw the panel remained green, which caused him to take off his steering wheel and wave it to indicate that his car couldn’t restart. Still, no full-course caution came.
“I was hearing people shift in the hard limiter going by me,” he continued. “I was like, ‘This is insane. This is very uncomfortable and ridiculous.’ So I just got out. I would have thrown the steering wheel out to cause a debris flag, but we don’t throw yellows for that either.”
Rossi was referring to a piece of debris that was in Turn 7 of the IMS road course for multiple laps before his car stopped. IndyCar didn’t enact a caution for the debris, despite doing so in April’s Grand Prix of Long Beach (which led to another push to pass controversy).
“So again, would have thrown the steering wheel out if I thought debris would cause a full-course yellow,” said Rossi, who claimed he went home during the race. “But apparently, just human bodies on the racetrack is what causes full-course yellows.”
With the podcast episode being recorded Monday, Rossi wasn’t aware that a rule change was coming. He said, “I don’t expect anything to change. … I might be surprised. Who knows?”
Ahead of the first day of practice for the Indianapolis 500, drivers were generally in favor of the rule change.
“I think it’s totally the right call to just throw a yellow when there is danger for the drivers because ultimately, that’s a straight(away),” said Marcus Armstrong of Meyer Shank Racing. “We’re going, I don’t know, 180 miles an hour, and there’s Rossi trying to jump out of his car. That’s kind of crazy. Safety needs to be the absolute priority in that scenario. How it plays out with strategy and all that, it’s irrelevant. I think safety is the No. 1 concern.”
Louis Foster of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing is fine with more cautions happening, as he compared it to what NASCAR does in its race stages.
“It doesn’t kill the race to run the yellow,” Foster said. “I mean, NASCAR does it for fun, right? So I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have yellow, because it makes the racing more interesting. And actually, that yellow made the race what it was last weekend. Without that yellow, Palou would have just won the race and (expletive) off, right? Whereas we had a good race between Malukas and Lundgaard.”
IndyCar’s new Independent Officiating Board has had to deal with controversies, mainly self-inflicted, in back-to-back races after a relatively clean start on the officiating front in the season’s first four races. It handled Rossi’s dangerous situation poorly on Saturday, leading to clearer rules that aim to prioritize safety, which should’ve happened at the Sonsio Grand Prix.
IndyCar Officiating must now shift its focus to ensuring that the Indy 500 and qualifying are rightfully officiated, on track and during technical inspections. It would be best for the series if it didn’t experience officiating controversies for the third straight race and second straight Indy 500.
Zion Brown is IndyStar's motorsports reporter. Follow him at @z10nbr0wn. Get IndyStar's motor sports coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Motor Sports newsletter. Subscribe to the YouTube channel IndyStar TV: IndyCar for a behind-the-scenes look at IndyCar and expert analysis.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Alexander Rossi calls yellow debacle 'uncomfortable and ridiculous' amid rule change
