Colton Herta suffered a scary solo crash during final practice for the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500.
During the final 30 minutes of the session, the 22-year-old California native was running through Turn 1 when his No. 26 Andretti Autosport bobbled while under the white line of the corner. An instant later, the machine hit into the outside wall with the right-rear before air went under the front wing and flipped the car over.
The momentum from the crash kept Herta in a slide while upside down, finally coming to a stop in Turn 2. The AMR Safety Crew was immediate in their response, helping return the car to its natural state with four Firestone tires on the ground and attending to Herta.
The impact of the crash was severe enough that the team has already pulled out the backup car, which will not come at the expense of Herta’s starting position of 25th for Sunday’s race.
Herta, who was medically cleared from the IMS Infield Care Center, recounted the incident.
“Yeah, a little bit of sadness for that race car,” Herta said. “It sucks. Seemed like it was okay. We were really loose kind of that whole session and I think I was just going a little bit too fast for that corner. Wiggle. Then the air got underneath it, but yeah, I’m all good. I’m fine.”
Colton Herta AIRBORNE!
Herta winds up upside down in this crash during #CarbDay practice for the #Indy500. He has been medically cleared. pic.twitter.com/SPHC735E7F
— #Indy500 on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) May 27, 2022
