IndyCar: Injured St. Petersburg spectator files lawsuit

The spectator who was struck by debris at the IndyCar season-opener at St Petersburg has opened a lawsuit against the event, the series and a fence company.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that the 16-page suit filed by attorneys Justin C Johnson and Christopher M Rotunda on behalf of the fan, Brigitte Hoffstetter, seeks damages in excess of $15,000 from event promoter Green Savoree, IndyCar and Smith Fence.

The suit alleges that Hoffstetter was in a concession area 100 yards from the track when she was hit in the head by a piece of carbon fiber, causing her to fall to the ground and suffer a depressed skull fracture.

Her attorneys claim the series was negligent on the basis that its manufacturer-designed aero kits, which made their race debut at the event, were not properly tested or fastened to the cars.

The suit also alleges that the promoters failed to make spectators sufficiently aware of the danger, and that the fence company failed to provide adequate barriers to protect spectators.

IndyCar mandated changes to both manufacturers' aero kits in the wake of the St. Petersburg race. Upper elements were removed from the Chevrolet front wing after they proved to be prone to breaking in car-to-car contact, while reinforcement was added to the Honda front wing elements.

Originally on Autosport.com