IndyCar driver cleared to race again after breaking thumb last month

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — NTT IndyCar Series driver Alexander Rossi received good news this week.

He has been cleared to race once again by the INDYCAR medical team and will be back in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren car at the series’ next race on Saturday, Aug. 17.

Rossi broke his right thumb on Friday, July 19 during a practice crash on the Streets of Toronto.

“It’s unfortunate because the injury occurred when I almost made it around the corner and I didn’t want to give up on it, so I didn’t quite get my hands off the wheel in time,” Rossi said, according to a story by Curt Cavin posted on IndyCar’s website.

The injury forced him to miss the race in Toronto. Théo Pourchaire filled in for Rossi in the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto and finished in 14th place.

Despite missing the race in Toronto, Rossi is still in ninth place in this season’s IndyCar Series standings. He finished the 2022 and 2023 seasons in ninth place in the standings.

IndyCar’s next race, which is on Aug. 17, takes place at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill. The green flag for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 is set for a little after 6 p.m. EDT that Saturday. Rossi finished in fourth place at the event last year.

The 2016 Indianapolis 500 champion has been with Arrow McLaren the past two years, but will part ways with the team after this season. It was previously announced that current Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Christian Lundgaard will take over Rossi’s seat beginning in the 2025 season.

In light of Thursday’s news that Rossi was going to return to the car later this month, Rossi posted the following on X, formally known as Twitter:

The “5 to go…” is a reference to Rossi knowing he’s got just five more races left with Arrow McLaren before the end of the season.