Brake failure forces VeeKay to retire from the Indianapolis 500
Rinus ‘VeeKay’ van Kalmthout has failed to reach the finish of the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500, the 24-year-old Dutchman crashing shortly before the halfway point due to a brake problem in the pit lane.
The sixth race of the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series is considered one of the iconic car races on the planet and the most important of the season for every competitor, as the Indianapolis 500 is part of the prestigious Triple Crown of Motorsport, alongside the Monaco Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Traditionally, 33 drivers appear at the start, including Rinus VeeKay, who was taking part for the sixth time in his career.
Leading up to the event, VeeKay had made considerable efforts to be on the grid for the Indianapolis 500, since in practice and qualifying, his #18 askROI Dale Coyne Racing Honda was consistently one of the slowest cars on track. Thanks to a last-minute push in qualifying, the Dutchman managed to secure his place in the race. Fortunately, his car proved to be much better in the race.
With 200 laps of 2.5 miles (more than four kilometres) to go, the Indianapolis 500 is all about strategy which, combined with a strong final sprint to the line, can lead to a good result. Due to an early caution, VeeKay and Dale Coyne Racing decided to come in for their first stop soon. This alternative strategy helped to propel VeeKay forward, since after 50 laps the driver who had started 31st was up into sixth. VeeKay appeared both decisive and sensible, and despite the disappointment of qualifying, he managed to perform well in the race.
However, disaster struck halfway through the race. VeeKay had just made his way to the pit lane for his third of six scheduled stops when he suddenly slammed backwards into the wall. It turned out to be a braking issue. While slowing before entering the pits, the brakes failed to respond, but when they finally did, the rear caught up with the front and VeeKay was a passenger. His car was so badly damaged that his race was over on the spot.
Further investigation revealed that due to his brake failure VeeKay had entered the pit lane at a speed of 193kph. He had performed exactly the same actions as during his second pit stop – under the same conditions, as the first pit stop had been during a caution. To keep his brakes up to temperature during the stint — IndyCars need little to no braking on an oval, so the brakes can cool down quickly — VeeKay had in fact stirred them a few times while driving. To no avail: the blue and white DCR car haplessly turned into the concrete wall, forcing a disappointed VeeKay to retire early.
“We had a very good race,” VeeKay told us the following day from Indianapolis. “The car was good; I was able to keep up with the other drivers and put pressure on those in front of me. Things went wrong at the third pit stop. I hit the brakes, but nothing happened — I could barely feel any braking power. When I had to brake harder because the pit lane entrance was approaching, the rear tyres locked up all of a sudden. The rear caught up with the front, I hit the wall, and that was that.”
“Obviously, we investigated what had happened,” the Dutchman continued. “At the Speedway, everyone drives with different brakes, which means that more brake oil is needed, for example. In my car, the front master cylinder failed, causing the brake balance – which is normally 60/40 – to shift completely to the rear. I couldn’t have predicted that and was only able to choose between two bad options – either slam on the brakes or carry on racing.”
“It was a remarkable ‘500’. It was very tricky and everyone was mindful of the weather. We started later than planned due to the track conditions, and there was an additional brief caution due to rain. Everything went well until we reached the pit lane – and I must say that gives us hope. We almost failed to qualify, but we came out strong in the race. We will take this momentum into the oval races later this year, but now we are focusing on Detroit,” VeeKay concluded.
The NTT IndyCar Series continues with a race on the streets of Detroit, where VeeKay and his rivals will take to the track again as soon as this Sunday. The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix will start at around 18:45 Dutch time and is broadcast live on Ziggo Sport.