Alexander Rossi left IndyCar’s Gateway race weekend feeling aggrieved – as did many of his rivals, after a flurry of incidents.
The Grand Prix of Madison had just about everything a fan could ask for from an entertainment perspective.
Overtaking, fierce battles, crashes and penalties galore, yet somehow it feels like that only scratches the surface of the 260-lap encounter.
IndyCar‘s oval racing has been criticised for a lack of action, but this instalment left fans wanting more – something which they will get with four races over the next four weeks.
Alexander Rossi’s ‘Christmas card list’ shortens after tough Gateway affair
But not everyone benefitted from the chaos of Gateway like Nolan Siegel, and that includes Arrow McLaren’s Alexander Rossi.
He got caught up in a restart melee, climbing over the top of Will Power’s Team Penske car before crashing into the barriers.
READ MORE: Every IndyCar Series team’s confirmed driver line-up for the 2025 season
The incident denied him the opportunity to fight for the podium in the final ten laps of the race, which was red flagged after the spectacular crash.
Speaking on his Instagram after the race, he said: “We had a good one going, only for nothing in the end. The good news from last night is my Christmas card list got shorter by at least two, maybe three. We will see how I feel come December.”
To which Indy500 winner and 2004 IndyCar champion Tony Kanaan hilariously replied: “That’s why I stop sending all of them period.”
Rossi on the move for 2025
Rossi is one of the few premiere free agent drivers left on the IndyCar market for the 2025 season.
Race winning pedigree and a wealth of experience will be attractive to most teams, but his speed is which will decide the avenues open to him.
Aged 32, he still has plenty left in the tank and has been largely competitive this season – suffering some bad luck on a few occasions.
Ninth in the championship is a fair return for his efforts, with teammate Pato O’Ward just ahead of him in sixth.
Chip Ganassi, AJ Foyt, Dale Coyne, Juncos Hollinger and a whole host of other teams all have potential openings currently.
But he has plenty of time to decide where he thinks gives him the best chance of winning the IndyCar championship.