Indy Cars Prepare for Indianapolis 500

Even though we’re not yet in May, Indy cars are already on the track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, gearing up for the prestigious Indianapolis 500. It’s an exciting time for racing fans.

However, not everything went smoothly for Romain Grosjean from Dale Coyne Racing. He had an unfortunate incident—one that’s hard to believe—when his car collided with a bird.

The two-day open test is essential for all 33 cars in the competition. Thankfully, at this moment, none have sustained damage. It’s a bit of relief, really. This testing phase allows the teams and drivers to get a feel for the track ahead of the full practice sessions starting May 12th.

On the first day of testing, Grosjean was traveling at nearly 300 mph when the collision occurred, leading to a brief interruption. It’s kind of staggering to think about the impact between his No. 18 Honda and the unfortunate bird—definitely not a highlight of the day.

As noted by RACER’s Marshall Pruett in a tweet, this incident further highlights the value of the aero screen, a key feature that IndyCar has introduced.

This strange and unfortunate event is particularly unfortunate for the bird, of course. It could have escalated into a much more serious incident without the safety features in place.

After exiting the car, Grosjean, who has a background in Formula 1 and has competed in IndyCar with various teams, reflected on the mishap. He mentioned, “It wasn’t ideal. I still have blood on my race suit, bird debris on my roll bar, and my helmet and seat stink.” He even joked that he avoided getting chicken for lunch, dubbing the encounter an ordeal with the “unlucky bird.”

As they look ahead, Grosjean and his team hope their luck will change, especially with the 500-mile race and the Soncio Grand Prix coming up on May 9th at the IMS road course. Currently, Grosjean stands at 20th in the standings, with his teammate, rookie Dennis Hauger, in 16th place, trailing by 16 points.