IndyCar News: Scott Dixon Reveals Reason Behind Mid-Ohio Disaster

Saajan Jogia | Jul 13, 2024

Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon competes as NTT IndyCar Series drivers compete during Detroit Grand Prix in downtown Detroit on Sunday, June 2, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Six-time series champion Scott Dixon revealed that a 'runaway' electrical drain in the hybrid system of his Chip Ganassi Racing car caused the Honda engine to shut down during the Mid-Ohio warm-up lap. Dixon warned that this issue could have been widespread, potentially affecting other cars in the series as well.

Set to start 13th and aiming for a record seventh win at Mid-Ohio, disaster struck the 43-year-old Kiwi when his car stopped at Turn 5 during the out lap from the dummy grid, resulting in him being classified last during the hybrid's debut run.

According to Dixon, the low-voltage electrical system experienced a "runaway" issue that shut down his car's power unit. Eventually, he rejoined the race over 20 laps behind after the supercapacitor system was fixed and recharged. The setback caused him to drop 32 points behind his teammate Alex Palou.

When asked to reveal the findings of the post-race investigation, Dixon explained to the media:

“[The hybrid system] just got into a parameter that it didn't like, and it stopped the engine, which it needed to charge the capacitor, which the last thing you want it to do is turn off the only thing that can charge it, and it did.

“I think there will be some things down the road that will change that. Yeah, it was kind of weird. We didn't expect it just for the sheer fact we tested a lot of that stuff in pre-season testing. Even in Milwaukee we had done that.

“It was a parameter and just did a runaway. There was no time to try and fix it.”

Rather worryingly, Dixon reveals that the nature of the problem is such that it could have become a widespread issue with the possibility of other cars being impacted on the grid. He added:

“Some of the settings I think opened to the teams and manufacturers on how you want to do regen and deploy.

“I would say we were maybe slightly different.

“Honestly, until it happened, I don't think anybody knew that it was a fault, so... I think it could have happened to a lot of cars.

“It would have happened to three of my team-mates had it been a second different.”

After debuting its new hybrid system at Mid-Ohio last week, IndyCar will now test the new components on an oval for the first time in competition this weekend in Iowa.