by M.C. – photo: @12WillPower | There are three key races in the world of motor-sports; the three jewels in the crown. Two of them were held this past weekend: The Monaco Grand Prix in Formula 1 and the Indycar Indy 500. The third one, the popular 24 hours of Le Mans, will take place in less than a month, on the 16th of June, as part of the WEC.
For over a hundred years on the last Sunday of the month of May (this was the 102 edition) at the American circuit of Indianapolis, a real celebration in the world of motor-sports takes place; the Indy 500. In it, 33 drivers compete during a total of 500 miles, as the race name suggests, divided in two hundred laps. With a grand total of 250.000 on-site spectators and millions of live followers worldwide, this is one of the races with the biggest fan base.
The spectacular nature of the Indy 500 attracts some of the most famous drivers in the world. Last year, for instance, the twice Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso decided to trade the Monegasque race to compete in Indianapolis.
In this occasion, the spotlight was on driver Danica Patrick for whom this was to be her last professional race after announcing her retirement from NASCAR last year. But luck was not on the side of the most successful woman in the world of motor racing this time, as her chances were thwarted after an accident that saw her car spin on the Turn 2 wall. Before her, last year’s winner Takuma Sato also suffered an accident and had to quit the race. But these were not the only incidents of the day, there were crashes aplenty at the Indianapolis circuit last Sunday.
Many were the factors that took the Australian driver to the finish line in first position; the power of his Chevrolet, the timing of box stops, the good fuel management of Team Penske, and Will Power’s own mastery at the wheel. Power also managed to make history as the first Australian to ever win the Indy 500. As tradition has dictated for decades, celebrations were held with milk rather than the usual champagne.
For this and many other reasons, the Indy 500 is not just another race…
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