Scott Dixon expressed doubt that 2020 race winner Indianapolis 500 Takuma Sato had enough fuel to go the distance when the race was green running until the finish.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan driver Sato, who previously won the 500 in 2017, claimed his second victory under caution after Spencer Pigot crashed heavily into the pitwall weakener out of Turn 4 with five remaining laps.
Sato had long passed leader Dixon in the final stint, and he repeatedly defended his position before pulling away in the closing stages.
He had a one-second advantage when the yellow flags flew before the Pigot crash, but despite expectations of a red flag, race officials decided to let the race be played with caution.
After leading half of the race, Dixon acknowledged that the defeat was “a hard one to swallow” because of his long wait for a second win of 500 to add to his lone triumph in 2008.
“I really can not see how they would make it,” Dixon told NBC.
“We brought a round later and the figures we had to get were very difficult.
“I think he was even shocked one of the times when I pulled up next to him, I think they were trying to figure out if they should save fuel or get to the end.
“I think they just decide to go for it and execute it [flat out].
“The first time I saw them [the race stewards] let it run so, I thought they would definitely throw a red flag, which would have been interesting for the last four or five rounds. “
Despite his reservations about how the final moments played out, Dixon was hugely in defeat, as fellow Honda-powered squad RLL claimed first and third spots, with Graham Rahal completing the top three.
He said: “Huge hats off to Sato, he threw off his pants today, and to Rahal Letterman Lanigan – they were super fast and a one-three [finish].
“But it’s hard when it’s slipping.
“We were definitely in the right seat, I think we had the thought and the fuel to get to the end, but if you hesitate, that’s what happens.”
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