A medical update has been issued re: Andretti Autosport’s James Hinchcliffe, after the Canadian stopped on track in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis on Lap 57 due to an off-course excursion. Hinchcliffe’s helmet got struck with loose bodywork from Justin Wilson’s car, which became dislodged and hit him on the backstraight on the run to Turn 7. He favored his head and was taken off on a stretcher, then transported via ground to Methodist Hospital.
Hinchcliffe was able to provide a quote in a statement released by the team:
“I want to thank all the fans for their messages of concern and support. I’m a little stiff and sore and I’d love to be back in the car tomorrow, but I suppose I should probably let the doctors make that decision. Such a bummer for the UFD car when things were really starting to come together.”
The official update from INDYCAR:
“Verizon IndyCar Series driver James Hinchcliffe was discharged from IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis after being evaluated and having a CT scan of his head and neck.
“INDYCAR Medical Director Dr. Michael Olinger said Hinchcliffe was diagnosed with a concussion. The driver of the No. 27 United Fiber & Data car for Andretti Autosport will be re-evaluated by Olinger and INDYCAR medical consultants before being cleared to drive.”
Updates only came from alternative parties from the time of the incident through to the official update. Indianapolis Star reporter Curt Cavin and Associated Press reporter Jenna Fryer had several tweets, as did Hinchcliffe’s teammate Marco Andretti who was in communication as the team.
Team confirms Hinch hit in head.
— Curt Cavin (@curtcavin) May 10, 2014
Marco told me Hinch was briefly unconscious. “Oh, for sure, because he went straight past me,” he said. #IndyCar #GPofINDY
— Curt Cavin (@curtcavin) May 10, 2014
Said @michaelandretti of @Hinchtown: “He is at home.” Made a visit to Methodist for observation. #IndyCar #GPofINDY
— Curt Cavin (@curtcavin) May 10, 2014
I did hear Hinch speak and he was moving on stretcher when ABC showed him.
— Jenna Fryer (@JennaFryer) May 10, 2014
Just viewed several shots of Hinch. He was most certainly hit in head. There is no visible wound. He held his head in both hands (cont)
— Jenna Fryer (@JennaFryer) May 10, 2014
as he sat in cockpit and outside of car. He appeared a little unsteady as he first exited car.
— Jenna Fryer (@JennaFryer) May 10, 2014
Had a coil go bad in the race. My thoughts and prayers are with my friend and teammate @Hinchtown !
— Marco Andretti (@MarcoAndretti) May 10, 2014
Also just found out we broke the tub in half. Long day. Congrats to my friend @simonpagenaud !
— Marco Andretti (@MarcoAndretti) May 10, 2014
@Hinchtown out of hospital now. Good stuff.
— Marco Andretti (@MarcoAndretti) May 10, 2014
As a whole, not a great day for Andretti Autosport because here’s where it leaves them heading into the opening day of Indianapolis 500 practice on Sunday.
Hunter-Reay’s No. 28 crew will swap over to its oval setup as the car came home second today, but that’s after needing to repair the right rear yesterday.
Andretti’s No. 25, as he wrote above, featured a cracked tub. Also not ideal.
Then Hinchcliffe’s No. 27, Franck Montagny’s No. 26 and Carlos Munoz’s No. 34 cars all retired from contact.
Hinchcliffe’s No. 27 will need a new driver, and one of Andretti’s 2013 drivers, E.J. Viso, has been nominated as that stand-in driver if needed. The team will determine whether he’ll actually drive depending on the outcome of the re-evaluation.
As for Viso, he is in Indianapolis already and posted this picture to Twitter, already in fire suit.
I wish @Hinchtown a quick recovery. I’ll be driving his car in the meantime. @FollowAndretti pic.twitter.com/9VQRqPDHwC
— E.J. Viso (@EJVISO) May 11, 2014
The Montagny and Munoz cars bore the worst of it; Montagny was a one-off driver for the Grand Prix of Indianapolis and schedule-pending, Kurt Busch was due to be in that car on Sunday.
Busch, meanwhile, like the rest of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, is in a rain delay at Kansas, and not free to leave there until that race gets in the books.
