INDYCAR has confirmed that the final full course caution called in Saturday’s Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix was sparked by Alexander Rossi hitting the wall at Turn 4 in the closing stages of the race.
Yellow flags were shown with three laps remaining at Phoenix International Raceway, prompting the race to finish under waved checkered and yellow flags.
Both Rossi and Ryan Hunter-Reay were involved in late incidents, the latter losing a piece of bodywork that lay on the track with 10 laps to go.
On Wednesday, INDYCAR confirmed that the final full course caution was called as a result of Rossi’s contact with the wall and not due to the debris from Hunter-Reay’s car which was off the racing line.
“The caution at the end of the Phoenix race was a result of the 98 car making contact with the wall coming off the fourth turn,” INDYCAR vice president of competition, race control Brian Barnhart said.
“The incident occurred in front of the leaders and required cars to take evasive action, which made throwing the caution flag imperative.”
Despite the incident, Rossi managed to hold on to 14th place in the final stages of his maiden IndyCar oval race in the no. 98 Andretti Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian Honda car.
Rossi explained to NBC Sports after the race that a late puncture had hindered his efforts, leaving him to finish outside of the top 10 at Phoenix.