IndyCar pair see pre-Bathurst test cut short

IndyCar pair Alexander Rossi and James Hinchcliffe have seen their pre-Bathurst test at Winton Raceway cut short after an accident on the second day of running.

Rossi hit the wall at turn four late on the second day of running, causing what was described as “minor rear-end damage” to the #27 Holden Commodore that the pair will share at Mount Panorama.

Following the incident, the decision was taken to end the test a day early to allow the car to be sent back to base to go on a chassis jig before being taken to Bathurst for next weekend’s big race.

Both drivers had been able to spend time on track prior to the accident, with Rossi having had his first taste of the car on Tuesday before Hinchcliffe joined proceedings on Wednesday,

“We’ve made the call to send the car back to our Clayton workshop to be checked over before it leaves for Bathurst,” Walkinshaw Andretti United co-principal Mathew Nilsson said. “It’s better to get it back there tonight and looked at before we pack at the end of the week.



“The damaged parts are all replaceable, there was no major structural damage, and it won’t have an impact on next week at Bathurst.



“While we planned to have a third day testing, this is motorsport and these things happen. Both drivers and everyone involved took a lot out of two really solid days of running.

“They adapted to the car extremely well, and they will be ready for Mount Panorama next week.”