Autosport.com - Rossi believes straightline deficit main reason for Indy 500 defeat
Alexander Rossi felt the main reason for his Indianapolis 500 defeat was a Honda straightline-speed deficit, and he was also fuming over pitstop delays and backmarker Oriol Servia's driving.
Rossi charged into contention in the second half of the race, and was achieving better fuel mileage in his Honda-powered Andretti Autosport car than eventual winner Simon Pagenaud was getting in his Penske Dallara-Chevrolet.
But a late red flag for a multi-car crash neutralised that advantage, and Rossi ended up beaten by 0.2 seconds in the duel to the flag.
"There's not much to say," said Rossi. "I think you all saw it. We just didn't have the straightline speed.
"There's not much we can do about that from my side, inside the car. Obviously the #22 guys [Pagenaud's crew] fully deserve it. They were on pole, led probably 70% of the laps.
"But that last yellow really hurt us because we were doing a lot better on fuel mileage than he was, so that was the first kind of nail in the proverbial coffin, and the second one was we didn't have the speed out front.
"I was flat for the last 15 laps, and there's not much more you can do."
Rossi was also furious that...
READ THE REST ON AUTOSPORT.COM
