Rossi frustrated with IndyCar's new hybrid systems, officiating discrepancies

ECR’s Alexander Rossi aired his frustrations with the IndyCar Series’ adoption of hybrid systems, which he reported as having failed on his No. 21 Chevy as it crawled to a stop just past the start/finish line during Saturday’s Sonsio Grand Prix.

Rossi’s race came to an end on lap 21, but the new IndyCar Officiating Incorporated (IOI) group decided to leave his car in place and throw a local yellow while cars streaked by at considerable speed. That, too, rankled the veteran, who conveyed his displeasure to the starter by gesticulating towards the stand.

Two laps later, IOI’s race control team decided to call for a full-course caution, but Rossi had already jumped from his car and sought the safety of pit lane on his own.

“It’s pretty annoying to have failures on the car because of a product we didn't ask for that doesn't improve the racing,” Rossi said. “So that's frustrating."

Just for good measure, Rossi took umbrage with IndyCar’s decision to postpone qualifying on Friday as heavy rain blanketed the road course, as IOI’s tally of recent work failed to impress.

"Second of all, the fact that it took that long to throw a full-course caution when the cars on the front straight were going by at 170 miles an hour also seems insane when they don't let us drive in the wet yesterday,” he said, citing the safety-related discrepancy. “So I don't really know where the priorities lie.”

Rossi was credited with 24th in the race, one position ahead of ECR teammate Christian Rasmussen.