The Latest on motorsport’s busiest day, with Formula One’s Monaco Grand Prix followed by the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 (all times local):
___
11:15 a.m.
Indy 500 pole sitter James Hinchcliffe took a moment before the start of Sunday’s race to send his best wishes to Andrew Palmer, a sports car driver who was involved in a serious wreck on Saturday.
The Bentley Team Absolute driver crashed during the Pirelli World Challenge race at Lime Rock Park, and Palmer’s team said “he has sustained a head injury and is being closely monitored.”
Hinchcliffe was involved in his own serious crash during practice before last year’s Indy 500. He sustained a serious concussion and his leg was impaled by a piece of his suspension, which nearly caused him to bleed to death. It took a team of trauma physicians to save his life.
___
10:35 a.m.
There are plenty of celebs walking the red carpet in the shadow of the famed pagoda at Indianapolis, including “Star Trek” star Chris Pine, rapper Ice-T and Nick Gehlfuss of “Chicago Med.”
Lady Gaga was also at the speedway for the 100th running of the Indy 500, though she kept a very low profile, dressed down in jean shorts with her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail.
IndyCar CEO Mark Miles took a helicopter ride above the speedway hours before the start of the 500 and marveled at the crowd.
“Everywhere you looked it was people pouring in,” Miles told AP.
He noted that getting to the 100th running was a feat in itself, but was holding out calling the day a success until after the checkered flag fell. He was also worried about rain.
Meanwhile, he met with a handful of NASCAR executives who flew to Indianapolis early Sunday morning to experience the 100th running before they headed back to North Carolina for the Coca-Cola 600. Miles escorted the group to race control, which happened to
___
10: 20 a.m.
The Indianapolis Children’s Choir will sing “God Bless America” before Darius Rucker performs the national anthem for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. There will be an F-18 flyover and Josh Kauffman will join the children’s choir in singing “Back Home Again in Indiana” on a hot, sun-splashed day of pageantry.
The grand marshal is actress Florence Henderson, who will tell drivers it’s time to go to their cars, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway matriarch Mari Hulman George gives the command for drivers to start their engines. Roger Penske will be behind of the wheel of the pace car.
Then, it’s up to the drivers to become the stars. James Hinchcliffe is on the pole for the centennial race.
___
4 p.m.
Defending Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has won the Monaco Grand Prix, holding off Daniel Ricciardo for his first win of the season.
Hamilton had not won for the past eight races, but he pulled ahead after Ricciardo came in on lap 33 for ultra-soft tires only to have his Red Bull pit crew not ready. It cost him valuable time and he came out behind Hamilton.
Ricciardo was close to overtaking Hamilton on lap 37. But Hamilton held his line at the Mirabeau turn, prompting an angry reaction from Ricciardo, who waved his hand furiously as he was forced to back off.
Mexican driver Sergio Perez of Force India was third ahead of Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari.
___
3:30 p.m.
The wrecks continue at the Monaco Grand Prix, this time with Sauber teammates Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson getting into each other.
Nasr received team orders to let Ericsson through but apparently ignored them. A determined Ericsson went for a gap that simply did not exist and they both collided at the Rascasse turn.
Ericcson quipped that his teammate’s radio “musn’t be working.”
In all, seven drivers were knocked out of the race.
___
3:05 p.m.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen — who became the youngest winner of an F1 race at the Spanish GP two weeks ago — has crashed out of the Formula One race in Monaco.
On a day with slippery conditions on the track, the 18-year-old slammed into a barrier at the same point where he crashed in Saturday’s third and final practice.
He is the fourth driver to crash out on a chaotic day: Russian driver Daniil Kvyat got into the turn at La Rascasse, taking Kevin Magnussen into the barriers with him.
Kvyat, who has twice been blamed for racing incidents with Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel this season, went out of the race, while Magnussen carried on a lap behind.
Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen and British driver Jolyon Palmer — Magnussen’s teammate at Renault — both crashed earlier.
___
2:30 p.m.
After seven laps behind a safety car, British driver Jolyon Palmer crashed out and was soon joined back in the garage by Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen.
Raikkonen lost control of his car after breaking too late going into a hairpin, locked his wheels and slammed into the barrier.
He tried to continue but almost caused another collision, with French driver having to brake sharply to avoid smashing into the back of him.
“What’s Kimi doing?” screeched Grosjean.
___
1:25 p.m.
The Monaco Grand Prix traditionally sees an influx of movie stars from nearby Cannes, where the famous film festival is held.
This year, the events are a week apart and there’s a notable absence of big names so far.
However, actor Patrick Dempsey — a long-time star of “Grey’s Anatomy” and a huge motorsport fan — is in the paddock.
The 50-year-old American has been chatting with Red Bull driver Max Verstappen and Frenchman Romain Grosjean — who drives for the American-based Haas team — before the race.
There is more of a sporting flavor than a Hollywood theme, with basketball stars Chris Bosh (Miami Heat) and Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs) and International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach all present.
Bosh, pictured on his twitter feed wearing a Mercedes cap, has expressed his support for Lewis Hamilton.
Arsenal soccer star Theo Walcott and Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki are also here.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.