Indianapolis road course race winner Alexander Rossi has been penalised 20 points and his Andretti Autosport IndyCar team fined $25,000 after a rules contravention was found during a post-race inspection.
The car and driver met the minimum weight required for road and street courses – 1700lbs – but the way the team achieved this is not allowed.
IndyCar claims the team used Rossi’s water supply as ballast to meet the weight. This contravened series rule 14.4.1.1, which states: “The minimum weight shall include the car in ready-to-compete condition excluding driver, driver equivalency weight, fuel and drink bottle content.”
As well as the Andretti fine, the docking of 20 points means Rossi – whose win last weekend was his first since 2019 – drops to ninth in the standings, behind Felix Rosenqvist of Arrow McLaren SP, the team that Rossi will join next year.
“From a sporting perspective, the car met minimum requirements,” said IndyCar president Jay Frye.
“From a technical perspective, the way they achieved the weight is not allowed. To meet minimum weight, the drink bottle and its contents were used as car ballast, which is not permitted and why the team is being fined and penalised.”
