“In such scenarios, Bourdais knew precisely how to act,” Trojanek mentioned. “Driver training plays a crucial role—he skillfully pulled over, turned off the car, and started to extinguish the fire.”
“Drivers and the series conduct meetings where they educate and instruct about the locations of fire crews around the track and their corresponding [station] identifiers,” Pfeifer added. “This way, drivers are informed on how to promptly reach assistance if they encounter a fire. While any incident of this nature poses a challenge for the car, the driver’s response is pivotal in mitigating the damage.”
Upon the return of the No. 3 to the pits, the team swiftly commenced disassembling it and conducting a comprehensive inspection. Although the team claimed the damage was “minimal,” they opted to replace the engine as a precaution. Additionally, the bodywork and numerous other affected softer components also necessitated replacement.
“Our initial focus was on identifying the root cause,” Trojanek explained. “Once we pinpointed the source, we swiftly checked the other two cars to prevent a recurrence. The subsequent emphasis was on replacing components to ensure readiness for race day.”
“With the car dismantled, we carried out a meticulous visual inspection part-by-part,” he added. “Due to the fire extinguishing agent being spread over the components, initial visual assessment was challenging, but eventually, we achieved a clear visual. Subsequently, we conducted physical inspections to assess stiffness and other characteristics.”
Thereafter, the primary challenge mostly revolved around logistics. According to Trojanek, the repair alone necessitated an additional minimum of eight hours of work. Opting not to work overnight due to the arduous race ahead, the team split the tasks, completing some immediately after the fire and the remainder on Friday. The extended repair duration also included the collaborative efforts of chassis-maker Dallara, GM Powertrains, and Ganassi to ensure the availability of essential components for a successful outcome.
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In the end, the No. 3 successfully participated in the Saturday afternoon warm-up session, undergoing a thorough diagnostic assessment of the new components. It will commence the race from the eighth position, with the No. 2 Cadillac starting sixth, and the No. 311 from the 12th position.
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