IndyCar penalty: ECR star Christian Rasmussen slapped with a 6-place grid drop

Christian Rasmussen has been hit with a grid penalty ahead of the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Grand Prix. The Danish driver, who appeared to be finding his footing through the mid-stages of the season, will start the Mid-Ohio race six spots lower than wherever he qualifies.

The Ed Carpenter Racing driver was handed the penalty by the IndyCar governing body after being found in breach of the engine regulation limit allowed within a season. Notably, the former Indy NXT champion opted for a new engine following a test last weekend at the Iowa Motorspeedway.

By opting for a change, Christian Rasmussen broke Rule 16.1.2.3.2 of the IndyCar guidelines, which states:

“A fifth engine is eligible to earn Engine Manufacturer points if a Full Season Entrant has completed the Full Season Entrant Engine Mileage with its first four Engines. Otherwise, a fifth or more Engine does not earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Unapproved Engine change-out.”

Due to the fact the engine change was unapproved, it subsequently translated into a penalty. However, despite receiving a six-place grid penalty for this engine change, it appears Christian Rasmussen and the Ed Carpenter Racing team timed their engine penalty smartly, as their sanction could have been a nine-place grid penalty had this change been made during an oval race weekend.

The Copenhagen native and his Indiana-based outfit will now look to maximize results for the weekend race at the sports car course in Ohio – a race which Rasmussen particularly boasts fond memories of.

Christian Rasmussen reacts ahead of IndyCar Mid-Ohio Grand Prix

Christian Rasmussen also shared his thoughts ahead of the IndyCar Mid-Ohio Grand Prix event. The 25-year-old detailed his expectations ahead of the race, which marks another round in the busy schedule of the open-wheel racing series.

The Danish driver, who spoke to the media ahead of his outing with the Ed Carpenter Racing team, stressed that he hopes to better his performance from the 2024 season at the road course event.

“I am looking forward to Mid-Ohio! It was my strongest weekend last year and was my best finish in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES at that point [2024]. We should have a good weekend. We are becoming stronger and stronger the more races we do this year. I am excited to see what we can do this weekend!” Rasmussen stated while sharing his thoughts via team sponsor Constant Contact.

The Mid-Ohio race has largely been one that holds special memories for Christian Rasmussen since stepping up into IndyCar in the 2024 season. The Danish driver qualified in the top 10 of an IndyCar race for the first time at the event and also recorded his first top-10, points-scoring finish—with a ninth-place result during the race.

Rasmussen, who recently claimed the first podium of his IndyCar career during the WWT Raceway event, will be aiming for a repeat of that showing, despite a looming penalty in the lead-up to the 2025 edition of the race.