Takuma Sato Survives Heavy Crash During Indianapolis 500 Practice

Sato’s Impressive Performance Before the Crash

Takuma Sato, the 48-year-old veteran driver from Japan, experienced a serious accident during the Indianapolis 500 practice session when his car hit the wall at a staggering speed of 375 kilometers per hour.

The Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team driver had been performing well in the days leading up to the crash, securing third position on Wednesday and second on Thursday during the open test sessions.

Takuma Sato loses control and crashes into the wall during Indy 500 Open Test | INDYCAR

Details of the Crash and Sato’s Condition

Despite the severity of the crash, Sato, who won the Indianapolis 500 in both 2017 and 2020, managed to exit the car and walk independently to the circuit’s care center.

“Huge thanks to IndyCar, Dallara, and IMS for creating such a safe environment. I lost the rear at 233 mph. The data recorded a 94G impact. Just minor bruises, and I’m OK. Really grateful to my crew, sorry for the extra work,” Sato posted on social media following the incident.

The Impact of the Crash on the 2025 Indy 500 Lineup

In the same session, fellow driver Kyle Larson also suffered a crash, though with a less severe impact. Meanwhile, Scott McLaughlin recorded the highest speed of 232.686 mph during the practice.

Sato is one of seven former Indianapolis 500 champions competing this year, alongside drivers such as Josef Newgarden, Marcus Ericsson, Helio Castroneves, Will Power, Alexander Rossi, and Ryan Hunter-Reay.