Written by The Honda Indy Toronto is an 11-turn, 1.786-mile street circuit in Toronto, boasting incredible racing action.
In 2024, the Honda Indy race raised questions surrounding safety protocols and the steps taken following an incident to prevent injury. With 13 laps to the checkered flag, Pato O’Ward, driving the Number 5 Arrow McLaren car, had a lock-up, resulting in his car spinning and hitting the barriers near the Prince’s Gates. This triggered a multi-car crash, resulting in Santino Ferrucci’s car flipping upside down on the track (Harrington, 2024). Several drivers took to social media and the press to publicly criticize the handling of the situation, which involved a delayed caution that threatened the safety of the drivers involved (Harrington, 2024).
In 2025, on lap 37, Jacob Abel hit the barriers at the same corner, causing his car to lift and land on top of Joseph Newgarden’s car behind him. Both drivers were fortunate to have escaped the incident safely. This time, IndyCar responded swiftly with a full-course caution, neutralizing the race and prioritizing driver safety. While this marks progress in the series’ incident response, the recurrence of a nearly identical crash at the same corner raises broader questions about the safety of the circuit layout itself. Beyond physical safety, these incidents draw attention to a less visible but equally important dimension: the psychological impact on drivers who witness such traumatic events.
Social contagion is a phenomenon referring to the spread of mood states, attitudes, or behaviours from one person to another; referred to as the recipient (Hurley, 2016). Research conducted on gymnasts who have witnessed other athletes being injured has shown that witnessing injury can result in the witness having intrusive thoughts about injury (Hurley, 2016). Although there’s no direct research on incidents like those in Toronto, it’s important to consider the psychological toll on drivers. For the everyday driver, witnessing an accident on the road has been shown to potentially cause PTSD, driving anxiety, and phobias, hindering the ability to drive (Mestayer, 2024).
Studies have found that depression, pre-season stress, and anxiety have been linked to increased risk of injury (Rogers et al., 2024). Another study found that approximately 75% of injuries were associated with pre-season anxiety or tension; thus, it is crucial that mental health following major incidents during an event be considered, and steps be taken to protect athlete safety (Rogers et al., 2024).
Throughout the history of sports, there have been various instances where injury has resulted in the stoppage or significant delay of a sporting event to protect the athlete’s mental health. For example, in May 2025, Savvy King collapsed during an NWSL match and received life-saving treatment on the pitch. The game resumed 10 minutes later, prompting criticism from players and the union, indicating that any incident requiring life-saving intervention should postpone a match (Harlan, 2025). This incident is similar to drivers witnessing an intense crash during a race. Since most motorsport incidents only trigger a caution, should drivers be asked if they need to regroup after witnessing a crash, a protocol that has been used in other sporting events?
As motorsport continues to evolve, so too must its approach to physical and psychological safety. The repeated incidents in Toronto underscore the need to develop a system that enhances the safety of motorsport tracks. More research is needed to establish how serious the impact of witnessing violent crashes can be on a driver’s mental capacity to finish a race safely. It’s time to consider whether motorsport needs formalized mental health protocols following traumatic incidents.
References
Harlan, C. (2025, May 16). NWSL match should’ve ended after player’s collapse. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/nwsl-match-shouldve-ended-after-players-collapse-2025-05-16/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Hurley, O. A. (2016). Impact of player injuries on teams’ mental states, and subsequent performances, at the Rugby World Cup 2015. Frontiers in psychology, 7, 202900.
Mestayer, M. (2024, January 12). The psychological effects of car accidents on bystanders and witnesses. Riley & Marks Law. https://www.rmlawcall.com/the-psychological-effects-of-car-accidents-on-bystanders-and-witnesses
Harrington, A. (2024, July 22). Pato O’Ward ‘so surprised’ by IndyCar’s handling of crash: ‘Could have been way worse’. Sports Illustrated. https://www.si.com/onsi/racing/indycar/posts/indycar-news-pato-o-ward-unhappy-with-how-crash-was-dealt-with-so-surprised-01j3bjtfpyvh
Rogers, D.L., Tanaka, M. J., Cosgarea, A. J., Ginsburg, R. D., and Dreher, G.M. (2024). How Mental Health Affects Injury Risk and Outcomes in Athletes. Sports health, 16(2), 222–229. https://doi.org/10.1177/19417381231179678