Danica Patrick underwent surgery on her right foot less than 24 hours after appearing on Fox's broadcast of the IndyCar Freedom 250 Grand Prix. The procedure, intended to remove a piece of glass from a wine glass that lodged in her foot a year ago, became necessary as the injury recently worsened.
Patrick revealed the surgery on social media, sharing an image of the shard of glass and a photo from her hospital bed. She explained that the injury made walking, even barefoot, difficult, noting that it had become more painful after a recent trip to Europe. She added that the shard was reportedly hitting her bone.
The Freedom 250, held on a street circuit on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., coincided with America's 250th anniversary celebrations. Former President Donald Trump was a central figure at the event, waving the green flag to start the race and watching from a suite. Trump had previously led pace laps in his motorcade.
Patrick, a former IndyCar and NASCAR driver, was part of Fox's pre-race coverage. During the broadcast, she highlighted Trump's executive order that facilitated the event, stating that the race's rapid realization embodied the American spirit. She said, "Between the vision of (FOX CEO) Eric Shanks and (Penske Corporation President) Bud Denker, with the help of, of course, Secretary [of Transportation Sean] Duffy and President Donald Trump with that executive order, I think it really embodies what it is to live in America, land of the free, and anything is possible."
The broadcast drew significant viewership, with Fox reporting 3.282 million viewers, the largest audience for a non-Indy 500 race since the series' current iteration began in 2008. Kyle Kirkwood of the United States won the race.
However, Patrick's on-air commentary, particularly her remarks supportive of Trump, drew criticism from some viewers on social media. Online reactions included accusations of the commentary being "nauseating" and descriptions of Patrick as an "idiot" and a "clown."