Alexander Rossi returned to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday for Indianapolis 500 Media Day and was cleared that afternoon to drive in Sunday’s 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge after a heavy crash in Monday’s practice.
Rossi, who will start second in Sunday’s race, said his recovery is ahead of schedule. "I spent a lot of time on couches the last few days, so I rate this one an eight out of 10," he said, adding that the wraps and walking boot were gone by Thursday and that "range of motion is good. Pain is minimal. I’m good to go."
The crash came during Monday practice when Rossi’s No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet was involved after Pato O’Ward braked to avoid the incident and spun into Rossi, sending him heavily into the Turn 2 SAFER Barrier. Rossi suffered minor injuries to a finger on his left hand and his right ankle, underwent outpatient procedures Monday evening and said he will have to be on crutches because "it’s a non-weight-bearing injury."
Despite the injury, Rossi said he completed a set of evaluations before being cleared to race. "I had to drive in a sim," he said, and the team made him "get in and out of the car in an appropriate amount of time." He described the sim work as "as thorough as you can be without actually being on the racetrack" and said he "had to show that I could react quickly enough with my right foot in the race car with the pedal and my boot on."
Team owner ECR prepared a backup car that is the same chassis Rossi drove in last year’s Indianapolis 500 — the same car he climbed from 12th to lead 14 laps in before the vehicle caught fire during the second pit stop on Lap 73. Rossi acknowledged the backup’s provenance: "This was truly going to be our race car until some other things shifted," he said. "This was built all offseason in preparation for this month to be my race car anyways."
Pato O’Ward, whose No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet was involved in the chain of events, spoke about the chassis Rossi may use. "I think I've had a test here with it," O’Ward said. "I don't have any worries about it. I know it's going to behave like it's supposed to." He praised the machine: "It’s a very good car. I really like this car. I don't know why they actually removed it from me," and reminded reporters that "every car is different" with "little differences to one another regardless of the setup being the same or not."
Rossi faces one final medical hurdle before the green flag. He must log laps during Friday’s Miller Lite Carb Day two-hour final practice session, scheduled for 11 a.m. ET, to satisfy the medical evaluation process. Team officials have the backup car ready; Rossi said the key was proving he could operate the pedals and exit the cockpit quickly while protecting a non-weight-bearing ankle.
The contrast is immediate: a dramatic Monday crash that required outpatient procedures, and a cleared driver walking the paddock without his boot by Thursday afternoon, poised to take the grid at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday. Rossi is competing in his seventh Indianapolis 500 and will race the No. 20 Java House Chevrolet for ECR, a team that opted to prepare an alternate car from last year's chassis as insurance.
Whether Friday’s session becomes a formality or a last test remains the crucial question, but Rossi insisted he is ready. "I will have to be on crutches because it’s a non-weight-bearing injury," he said, then closed Thursday’s appearance with a confidence that underlined his clearance: "Fortunately, to drive a race car, you don’t have to bear weight. Range of motion is good. Pain is minimal. I’m good to go."
