Two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato recently addressed his significant crash during the second day of open testing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which was part of preparations for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 scheduled for May 25, 2025. Sato, driving for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in the #75 AMADA Honda, suffered a major accident on April 24 during a ‘boosted’ session. The incident occurred when the rear of his car lost grip just before Turn 2, causing him to spin and hit the safety barrier. The impact was measured at approximately 94G, but Sato was able to walk away from the wreck without injury.

After the session, Sato spoke candidly with IndyCar’s Paul Kelly, taking full responsibility for the crash and describing it as heartbreaking. He said:

“I lost it; I simply lost it. It’s hard. My body is fine. It’s just the car … I lost the car. That’s heartbreaking.”

Despite the crash, Sato had shown strong pace earlier in the session, setting the fastest lap during the ‘boosted’ session with a speed of 232.565 mph. On the first day of testing, he was the third fastest in the boosted session.

This year’s Indy 500 will mark Sato’s 16th start at the prestigious event. The Japanese driver previously claimed victory at the Indy 500 in 2017 with Andretti Autosport (now Andretti Global) and again in 2020 with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Sato is aiming to secure his third win at the event this year.

Sato also commented on the introduction of the hybrid system, which was first used mid-season in 2024 and is now in its first full season in 2025. He described his experience with the hybrid system during the first day of testing, noting both its advantages and challenges. Sato highlighted that the system adds over 100 pounds to the car, which affects its handling, particularly in the corners:

“What I like is the hybrid. It’s quite fun, actually. Regen and deploy is a totally new experience. You can feel the power. You can feel what’s happening and that’s good. The downside is obviously weight. You know, everybody’s saying that it’s more than 100 lbs on the back of the car. Just when you get the sensation of getting to the corner, the back of the car, it’s just to keep rotating, which it’s not a positive way for me. So we need to work onto the car. It’s definitely a game changer for that because the setup we’ve been having competitive one is not entirely sure that 100% apply.”

Sato’s return to the Indy 500 is highly anticipated, and he remains focused on adapting to the new hybrid technology and aiming for another victory at the iconic race.