Marcus Armstrong wrecks his MSR car right before Indy 500 qualifying
Meyer Shank Racing star Marcus Armstrong had a major crash during the practice session just before the Indy 500 qualifying. The New Zealander wrecked his #66 MSR Honda at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and was taken to the medical facility.
The 2025 IndyCar season is Armstrong’s debut for the MSR team after the youngster moved from CGR. He showcased good pace at the Indy 500 open test and the practice session, given it’s his first season at MSR.
However, the 2.5-mile oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is tricky even for the veterans. Marcus Armstrong had a big moment in Turn 1 during the practice session that preceded the Indy 500 qualifying on Saturday.
The #66 MSR driver lost control of the car going into Turn 1 and smacked the rear of his car into the wall, destroying the rear right end of the IndyCar. However, looking closely at the incident, it could be seen that Armstrong was a little high going into the corner. The Kiwi lost the rear end slightly and was able to catch it with countersteer.
The counter steer led to the car becoming unstable at 230+ mph, which then spun the car around and sent it into the barriers. After the initial impact, the car dragged along the tarmac before again hitting the barrier at the entry of Turn 2. The secondary impact damaged the front of the car.
The car was seriously damaged as a result of the crash and would need huge repairs. The team hasn't confirmed whether Marcus Armstrong will participate in the qualifying session or whether a spare car/chassis was available to be built in time for qualifying.
The crash happened over two hours before the start of the qualifying session. Armstrong drew #9 for the Indy 500 qualifying, which will give the team about an hour or two extra after the session starts. The team will possibly have about 3-4 hours to get the car ready for the qualifying, which is seemingly a steep task given the damage taken by the #66 MSR.
Marcus Armstrong is safe; gives a wave and a thumbs up after huge Indy 500 practice crash
Marcus Armstrong was able to safely get out of the car, but was taken to the medical centre due to the intensity of the impact. The machine and the driver suffered two major impacts, one at the rear end and the other at the front.
As Armstrong was put on the stretcher and was being taken to the ambulance, the MSR driver gave a wave to the crowd and a thumbs up, suggesting that he was okay despite the serious crash.
The incident was similar to Takuma Sato’s crash at the Indy 500 open test, which took place last month.