“That looked brutal”: Fans express concern for Colton Herta following scary crash

Colton Herta gave several fans a fright following his crash during the Indy 500 qualifying session. The 25-year-old suffered a high-speed crash as he attempted to set a lap time at the famed oval course, which stirred concerns among fans.

The incident occurred when the Andretti Autosport racer, who was aiming to register an impressive lap time, lost the rear end of his car just ahead of the first turn of the oval circuit at a speed of 236 MPH. Herta’s car hit the SAFER barrier hard before skidding to a halt upside down into the second turn of the circuit.

Fortunately, the nine-time IndyCar race winner was able to walk out of the wreckage without needing any assistance. However, he was subsequently evaluated by the AMR medical team, where he was cleared and confirmed to have no bodily injuries.

Nonetheless, while Colton Herta was cleared by the infield care center, the magnitude of the crash the former Indy NXT driver suffered left many fans concerned, and several shared their reactions on social media.

One fan sharing their concerns on X (formerly Twitter) wrote:

“Damn, that looked brutal. Hopefully he's ok and can get in the backup car.”

Another, airing their concerns about the crash of the Andretti driver, commented:

“Hope he's ok! I saw a bit of a limp when he was walking to the ambulance. Glad the cars are safe enough he was able to walk away.”

Another concerned fan added:

“I was extremely worried.”

A fan praised the safety features of the modern IndyCars, commenting:

“The level of safety on these cars to withstand crashes like that is truly incredible.”

"Took the AMR Safety Team just 13 seconds to get to Colton after the car came to rest. Incredible response," another fan wrote.

It should be noted that this is not the first time Colton Herta has suffered such a freak accident at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 25-year-old also endured a similar turn-one incident during the 2022 edition of the Indy 500, where his car similarly flipped upside down during the first practice session.

Colton Herta reacts after the Indy 500 qualifying crash

Colton Herta reacted following his horrific crash during the first qualifying session for the Indy 500. The California native flipped upside down after making contact with the wall just as he was about to start his flying lap.

The 25-year-old was immediately attended to by the AMR safety team and subsequently transferred to the medical center for a proper evaluation. After being cleared by the medics and released back to the grid, he shared his thoughts on the incidents leading up to the crash.

In a video posted on X by IndyCar on FOX, the Andretti driver stated:

“I’m fine. Luckily nowadays, these crashes look a lot scarier than they feel — not saying that one felt good, but I think the team’s hard at work to get the backup car ready. It’s probably going to be impossible to get out there today. We’ll have to see what we can do. It’s just a terrible day for this to happen.

There were no real signs leading to it. We were super happy with the car this morning, and then you go out and just lose it. Couldn’t even get lap one done. It sucks, but I’m good. Keep going,” Colton Herta added.

Colton Herta’s freak crash was one of several incidents that have marred the 2025 Indy 500 qualifying weekend so far. Several other drivers, including Kyle Larson, Christian Rasmussen, and Chip Ganassi's youngster Kyffin Simpson, also suffered crashes on the oval course.

With the Indy 500 qualifying entering a decisive stage, Herta and his team will aim to prepare their backup car in hopes of recording a lap time and avoiding missing out on participating in the greatest spectacle in racing.