The Executive Vice President of iRacing.com, Steve Myers, says the IndyCar finish where multiple drivers were taken out and an online feud between Simon Pagenaud and Lando Norris was ignited made a “mockery” of a “great opportunity for the series and iRacing”.
In the closing stages of the final round of the Indianapolis race in the IndyCar iRacing Challenge, McLaren driver Norris dived down the inside of Graham Rahal. Rahal took avoiding action and hit Pagenaud, taking the latter out of victory contention.
Pagenaud then returned to the pits and said “we take out Lando, let’s do it”. He returned to the track and was slow off Turn 4 as Lando came on to the straight and the two made contact.
Pagenaud said, “Oh, I was pitting, I didn’t mean to do…I didn’t mean to crash him. I was just pitting.”
Article 6.10.3 of the iRacing sporting code states “deliberate, intentionally malicious, or retaliatory wrecking is prohibited”, which led some people on social media to speculate if Pagenaud would receive a ban from iRacing.
This was an @IndyCar private series with participants exclusively chosen by them. We are not in the business of policing anyone’s private league’s for racing issues. Does it suck that he made a mockery of a great opportunity for the series and @iRacing? Absolutely.
— Steve Myers (@iRacingMyers) May 3, 2020
However, replying to a tweet linked to a story by The Race, Myers replied: “This was an IndyCar private series with participants exclusively chosen by them.
“We are not in the business of policing anyone’s private leagues for racing issues.
“Does it suck that he made a mockery of a great opportunity for the series and iRacing? Absolutely.”
After the Norris crash, five drivers led between Turn 3 and the finish on the last lap. Marcus Ericsson took the lead at Turn 3 but was then taken out by Patricio O’Ward.
Oliver Askew then resumed the lead only to be hit by Santino Ferrucci just before the finish line, gifting victory to double Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin.
