Beyond the Flag
Fansided

IndyCar: 5 reasons Alexander Rossi’s move was completely acceptable

By Asher Fair

SONOMA, CA - SEPTEMBER 15: Alexander Rossi, driver of the #98 NAPA Auto Parts Honda, sits in his car during practice for the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma at Sonoma Raceway on September 15, 2017 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images)
SONOMA, CA - SEPTEMBER 15: Alexander Rossi, driver of the #98 NAPA Auto Parts Honda, sits in his car during practice for the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma at Sonoma Raceway on September 15, 2017 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images) /
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DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 18: Aric Almirola, driver of the #10 Smithfield Ford (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 18: Aric Almirola, driver of the #10 Smithfield Ford (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) /

Fans’ reactions are more dramatic than drivers’ reactions

It seems like whenever something controversial happens in a race in any series, the fans always tend to react more dramatically than the drivers involved in the controversy actually do.

The post-race interviews by Alexander Rossi and Robert Wickens show that both of them agree, in general, that the incident was a racing incident. They both understand that the other driver had a right to do what he did in an attempt to win the opening race of the 2018 IndyCar season.

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Of course, fans might disagree and say that their interviews were just to make the situation look good, but how much of that can be confirmed by something beyond speculation, reading into the situation, and making it more complicated than it needs to be? None of it.

That said, it goes without saying that there have been instances where drivers have not been happy with each other, and in those instances, these drivers make their positions known.

Yet in those instances, it actually seems like fans are less vocal about their opinions of who is right and who is wrong, as if the drama that was already created is enough. It seems as though fans are the ones creating the drama when there isn’t any, when the real experts, the drivers, are handling everything in a professional way — because they actually know what happened.

As discussed on the previous slide, it certainly wasn’t Rossi’s choice to “move” Wickens out of his way — like it was for, say, Denny Hamlin to move Chase Elliott out of the way at Martinsville last year or Austin Dillon to move Aric Almirola out of the way at Daytona last month.

So the whole “go watch NASCAR” thing holds absolutely no water. This wasn’t a NASCAR move. If these fans can’t handle it, maybe they should be the ones watching a different sport — like, say, golf.

Next: Top 10 most unbreakable records across Formula One, NASCAR and IndyCar

What is your opinion on the incident between Alexander Rossi and Robert Wickens at the end of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg? Will there be a rivalry between these two drivers on the track as a result of it throughout the season? The next race is set to be held on Saturday, April 7th at ISM Raceway in Avondale, Arizona, and it is set to be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network starting at 9:00 pm ET on that date.