IndyCar drivers meet with officials over blocking

A contentious meeting of unhappy IndyCar drivers was held Thursday before practice.
Not surprisingly, the subject of the clear-the-air meeting was Takuma Sato’s aggressive driving late in the May 5 race in Brazil.

Sato appeared to block both Josef Newgarden and eventual winner James Hinchcliffe in the closing laps of that race. Sato was not penalized.

Now at IMS, drivers want to ensure they’re safe.

“We had to talk about what you can do and what you can’t do," IndyCar champion Ryan Hunter-Reay said. “It’s what’s acceptable and what’s not."

Hunter-Reay said Sato’s attempt to pass Dario Franchitti in Turn 1 on the final lap of last year’s 500 was acceptable. So was what Franchitti did to protect the lead.

“Dario left a lane open, which is what you’re supposed to do, and Sato went for it, which you have to do to win the Indianapolis 500," Hunter-Reay said.

The meeting included race director Beaux Barfield and lasted 50 minutes. Indy Star