Caio Collet Crashes With 8 Laps Left in Indy 500, Triggering Red Flag

11 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 24

Eight laps from the finish, rookie Caio Collet hit the wall in Turn 2, and his right rear caught fire as he slid across the track and grass at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Collet got loose and overcorrected, bringing emergency crews to extinguish the fire and help him from the car; he walked away, but the stoppage reset the race for a late sprint.
The crash ended Collet’s first Indianapolis 500 and dropped the A.J. Foyt Racing driver down the order after a race in which he entered 21st in the IndyCar standings with 70 points.
More than 50 lead changes had already made the 2026 Indy 500 one of the most competitive in recent memory, and the red flag set up a final-lap finish won by Felix Rosenqvist.

What is the unseen psychological toll for a rookie who crashes spectacularly out of his debut Indianapolis 500?

Is IndyCar's safety technology keeping pace with the sport's ever-increasing speeds after a rookie's fiery crash?

Could a failed pre-race inspection hint at technical issues that contributed to the rookie's high-speed crash?