Yellow flag caution wrecks Dixon’s hopes

Scott Dixon has had a day to forget with a 13th placing in Texas as the 2019 Indycar season continued in Texas.

American rookie Colton Herta, 18, took advantage of a late caution at the Circuit of the America’s in Austin to claim a maiden victory in just his third race yesterday.

Herta became the youngest winner in Indycar history as a late-race crash helped him steal past the leaders.

Herta was well behind leader Will Power and Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi as the two leaders waited as late as possible for their final tyre change. That strategy backfired when James Hinchliffe clipped the back of rookie Felix Rosenqvist’s car in a wide turn, spinning Rosenqvist to smashing stop at the entry to pit lane.

The mayhem in the pits as teams jostled to take advantage of the yellow flag with 15 laps to go included Australian Will Power who needed a change of tyres.

Power had led all 45 laps off pole position but stalled in pit lane with a drive shaft issue and never recovered.

Dixon, a five-time series champion, started in sixth on the grid and ran his Honda accordingly for most of the race.

He had moved up to third to be wellplaced for a charge home over the final phase but found himself caught out in the yellow flag caution that lasted six laps with him still requiring a stop.

When the race resumed Dixon was down to 15th and out of the reckoning.

He had a wheel touch from Zach

aVeach to add to his problems as he pushed for more points. Dixon eventually ended up 31.072sec down on winner Herta.

There was also a reality check for Dixon’s new Swiss team-mate Rosenqvist whose aggressive approach caught up with him in the tangle with Hinchliffe that saw him lose the nose of his car and finish 23rd.

Dixon, who had finished second in the season-opener in Florida a fortnight ago, will need to regroup for the next race in Alabama on April 7.

Josef Newgarden held on to his lead at the top of the points table, adding a second in Austin to his win in Florida.

Dixon dropped from second to third on the points table, collecting just 17 points, and is now 36 points behind Newgarden.