Felix Rosenqvist and Will Energy slam IndyCar site visitors guidelines after Portland podium finishes

Felix Rosenqvist and Will Energy walked away from the Grand Prix of Portland with second- and third-place podium finishes, however their post-race focus remained squarely on site visitors nightmares, with each drivers taking goal at IndyCar’s strategy to backmarkers.

Rosenqvist began on pole within the #60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda, commanding the early tempo and main 33 laps. Nonetheless, a mixture of a good exit from his pit field close to rookie Mick Schumacher’s crew and an overcut technique by winner Alex Palou relegated him to second place.

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Whereas acknowledging Palou’s sturdy tempo on the first tires, Rosenqvist pulled no punches relating to lapped automobiles holding up race leaders.

“(Palou) simply drove higher, to be trustworthy,” Rosenqvist mentioned. “Not so much faster, however he was a little bit bit faster, particularly on the blacks. That first stint he outsmarted us, did one lap longer. I did not know he did that, so possibly we have to work on communication. I do not suppose I may have saved up with that tempo he did in any case, if I saved that a lot gas.”

Rosenqvist additionally criticised the lapped site visitors he and Palou encountered earlier than their last stops. Each misplaced time behind Louis Foster, who had just lately emerged from the pits on recent tyres.

“IndyCar: We do not make the principles, we hold the identical ones for the reason that ’70s.”

–Will Energy

“Yeah, from there it was identical to a lapped automobile race, I suppose,” Rosenqvist mentioned. “Generally you are getting three seconds due to a lap automobile, the following time you lose three seconds.

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“I feel with out sounding salty, I do not suppose I might have received the race anyway, however I feel it is sort of time for us as a sequence to develop up and never have the lapped automobile scenario. I feel it makes us all look silly.

“While you work exhausting and swiftly you lose 5 seconds behind a lapped automobile, I do not suppose it is proper. I do not suppose anybody desires to see that. Once more, I do not suppose I might have received in any case. I feel all drivers in all probability agree with me.”

Will Energy, Andretti International

Energy, driving the #26 Andretti International Honda, echoed Rosenqvist’s frustration after a radio communication difficulty compounded his personal battle by way of site visitors. Making an attempt to run lengthy for an overcut earlier than his last pit cease, Energy missed an unclear pit name, leaving him out on observe because the race chief on fading tires for an additional lap.

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Earlier than making it to pit lane, Energy “obtained held up massively” and misplaced almost three seconds whereas battling backmarker Sting Ray Robb, who raced Energy side-by-side into Flip 10 regardless of being a lap down.

“Sure, I agree with that,” Energy mentioned, echoing Rosenqvist’s phrases on backmarkers. “I imply, I’ve mentioned it ceaselessly. It is sort of ridiculous we’ve got a 1970’s rule happening: ‘However we have all the time completed that’. Yeah, it is a little bit bit completely different now. Drives me loopy all these automobiles.

“If IndyCar will not do something, I feel all of the drivers get collectively and have a gents’s settlement. ‘IndyCar: We do not make the principles, we hold the identical ones for the reason that ’70s.'”

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Palou finally capitalized on the site visitors delays and pit sequences to safe the victory in a race that featured one early warning. However because the post-race press convention moderator steered addressing the blue-flag guidelines in the course of the low season, Rosenqvist and Energy provided a cynical last evaluation:

“Nothing will occur,” Rosenqvist mentioned.

To which Energy added, “Similar dialogue yearly.”

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