Dreyer & Reinbold driver Justin Wilson has been diagnosed with a fractured fifth thoracic vertebra after his practice crash on Saturday morning, with a CT scan revealing the injury to his upper-back. The British driver will now be transported to Indianapolis for further checks, while stand-in Simon Pagenaud continues in his place.
"I feel really sorry for Justin," Pagenaud said. "He's a good friend and you never wish for this kind of situation to happen. I'm glad that Dreyer & Reinbold Racing asked me to represent him and the team. I'm pleased that they have confidence in me to do the job.
"It was a bit of a rush really. I was watching practice in the infield and for the first time I didn't bring my gear, maybe because I don't have an insane mind thinking that someone could get hurt. Thank you very much to a lot of the drivers in the IndyCar paddock for helping me and lending me their stuff to use."
"All in all, the car was really good in qualifications. The work is all down to me now. I think the car is very well set up by Justin and the team. I was a bit cold turkey going in, so I'm pretty pleased with the performance and we were only a tenth off of transferring to the next session."
"First and foremost, we want to wish Justin Wilson all of the best," team co-owner Dennis Reinbold added. "He is a big part of our team and it’s unfortunate he will not be able to race tomorrow. I want to thank our team, Simon Pagenaud and (Pagenaud's Manager) Derrick Walker for their professionalism under today's circumstances."
Series
IndyCar Series
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Simon Pagenaud
Justin Wilson
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Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
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