Marcus Ericsson is set to avoid what could have been a crucial grid penalty in the final four races of the IndyCar season, despite his Honda engine that failed in the Indianapolis road course race being unrepairable.
Chip Ganassi Racing driver Ericsson pulled to the side of the road in qualifying with a power unit issue that meant he started from last, and despite a caution flag working against him he rose to 11th by the end of the race.
IndyCar teams are allowed to use four engines per car and losing a unit often means either a six-place grid penalty for the following race (if it’s on a road or street course) or nine places on an oval.
However Ericsson looks set to avoid a penalty because he was due an engine change after the Indy GP anyway, so the new unit has gone in a race early.
That means his engine may have run an extra race than some of his title rivals by the season finale at Laguna Seca, but at least he avoids a grid penalty.
Honda Performance Development evaluated the failed Indianapolis engine early this week to try to repair it but it was not possible.
Ericsson lost the points lead to Will Power by nine points at the Indy road course having led the standings since winning the Indy 500 back in May.
He did win the next race IndyCar goes to, at Nashville this weekend, in 2021.
Coincidentally Ericsson’s team-mate Alex Palou also lost a motor in his title winning campaign last year at the same Indianapolis race, and took a nine place grid penalty for Gateway, but still raced to the title.
Keyword: Ericsson avoids potential IndyCar penalty