Alexander Rossi and Andretti Autosport have been penalized following last weekend’s Gallagher Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in the NTT IndyCar Series, INDYCAR announced Aug. 3.
The race-winning car was found to be in violation of IndyCar rules 14.4.1.1 and 14.4.1.1.1, both involving weight. The latter of which states that the minimum weight for all road/street events is 1,700 lbs.
“From a sporting perspective, the car met minimum requirements,” IndyCar President Jay Frye said in a release. “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 allowed and why the team is being fined and penalized.”
The penalty includes a $25,000 fine and 20-point entrant penalty to Andretti, plus a 20-point driver penalty to Rossi.
The penalties are subject to appeal.
Rossi has amassed one win, four top fives and six top 10s in 2022.
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A non-compliant car should be DQ’d. When did it become acceptable to cheat to win? Its not an ‘oversight’ for the driver to have a ‘heavy water bottle.’ Cheating should not be ‘ok.’
How much weight are we talking about? 25K fine plus losing points is pretty harsh for a pound or two of drinking water.
What was in the bottle?