Danica Patrick reacts to devastated Indy 500 | Sports News

Danica Patrick has weighed in after David Malukas was left devastated by a brutal end to the Indianapolis 500.

Malukas appeared to be on the right track for victory on the ultimate lap of Sunday’s Indy 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, having constructed a lead heading into the closing flip.

Patrick reacted to the heartbreaking end suffered by Malukas with the previous IndyAutomobile star weighing in on the dramatic conclusion. Speaking on Fox, the 44-year-old mentioned: “I don’t know what else he could have done and he said it himself. He had an incredible run through one and two he gapped down the back straightaway.

“And then you saw they closed up so quick into turn three and we saw it all day. When you’re in the lead, you’re a sitting duck, there was so many lead changes because of that and obviously that’s what was able to give them the run behind him.

“He did everything he could to hold that lead. I love watching sports for this reason to see that real true emotion and to see David Maloukas in tears after the race. You know, that’s what we come here for.”

The final lap proved an emotional rollercoaster for Malukas and his team, with victory within reach before slipping away at the last moment. Despite being in a strong position to close out the win, Malukas was unable to convert, leaving both him and his crew visibly devastated at the finish.

The 24-year-old, who also finished second at last year’s Indianapolis 500, came agonizingly close to securing his first IndyCar victory. Instead, he was left to reflect on another near-miss, delivering his post-race interview in tears and struggling to maintain composure after the heartbreak.

“Yeah, just disappointment,” Malukas mentioned by tears. “I just don’t know what else we could have done. We were driving 150 percent that whole race. The guys did a fantastic job getting the car where it needed to be. We had the fastest car out there that whole race. It was ours to win, and I knew that.

“I’ve never pushed that hard in my whole life. Just to finish, like — I can’t believe it. This whole season, even before, just keep getting a lot of seconds, but we just can’t get — now it’s like — I don’t know how much closer you can get to getting it. So yeah. Now we’re even P2 in the championship. It’s great, so many seconds.”

While his instant response was one of heartbreak, Malukas later reviewed a replay of the end, which appeared to carry him a degree of acceptance. “He just had a really good run,” Malukas mentioned. “There’s nothing else I could have done. I’m trying to think back, maybe something different with deployment here or there.”