Rossi, who started on the front row, led 44 of the 85 laps in the Gallagher Grand Prix to score his first IndyCar victory since June 2019, but Herta, up from ninth on the grid, was leading his teammate when his car suddenly coasted to a halt with no drive at half distance.
On Saturday night, both team owner Michael Andretti and the #26 car’s co-owner and strategist Bryan Herta could confirm only that it was a drivetrain issue, and by Monday morning, the team had still not ascertained the cause. But Andretti Autosport COO Rob Edwards said it was doubtful that Herta’s right-side impact with Will Power’s Penske on Lap 1/Turn 1 that damaged his sidepod, combined with his vigorous use of the curb at Turn 8, a right-hander, on Lap 43, are what doomed his car.
