Dale Coyne Racing's Esteban Gutierrez has been cleared to drive in Sunday's Honda Indy Toronto after a hard crash during Saturday's qualifying.
Gutierrez made hard contact with the outside retaining wall coming out of a tight Turn 11 – a huge disappointment as he was running a promising sixth at the time. The Mexican driver got out of the car, which sustained heavy damage to the right side, and spent several minutes against the outside wall before being evaluated by IndyCar Medical Director Dr. Michael Olinger for concussion-like symptoms. IndyCar released a statement Saturday saying Gutierrez "was treated and released but has not been cleared to drive, pending further evaluation Sunday morning."
REPLAY: @EstebanGtz makes contact with the wall during @hondaindy qualifications. https://t.co/1I2Xejdij6 #INDYCAR #IndyTO pic.twitter.com/j2JTrtAJU5
— IndyCar Series (@IndyCar) July 15, 2017
After being re-evaluated Sunday, Olinger cleared Gutierrez. He will start last.
Had Gutierrez not be able to drive, Canadian DTM driver Robert Wickens was a candidate to fill in. Wickens jumped in the No. 7 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda last month for a visa-delayed Mikhail Aleshin at Road America, finishing 20th in two practice sessions before the Russian arrived from France. He was reportedly a candidate for Aleshin this weekend as well before SPM put Sebastian Saavedra in the No. 7 Honda as a temporary "shake up."
Gutierrez's crash in qualifying is another in a crash-plagued season for Dale Coyne Racing, which has been reeling since Sebastien Bourdais' Indy 500 qualifying crash and extensive damage to both cars in a crash at Texas.