#AUTOCRASH Indianapolis 500: James Hinchcliffe has surgery after crash

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IndyCar said Hincliffe was 'awake and alert' and had been taken to hospital

Canadian driver James Hinchcliffe was taken to hospital for surgery after his car smashed into a wall and briefly set on fire in the fourth dramatic crash in under a week at the Indianapolis 500.

IndyCar said the Schmidt Peterson Motorsports driver, 28, was "alert" after the crash but had a thigh injury.

The incident was reported to be the result of a mechanical failure, with Hinchcliffe going straight into a wall.

Rule changes have been introduced amid concerns over the cars' designs.

CFH Racing's Ed Carpenter was unhurt after his car crashed into a wall and flipped over during practice on Sunday, while team-mate Josef Newgarden and Helio Castroneves of Team Penske also escaped injury despite serious crashes last week.

In an effort to reduce speed and increase downforce, the cars - which can travel at up to 230mph - must now run race-level aerodynamics and engine-boost settings during qualifying.

British driver Pippa Mann, of Dale Coyne Racing, also crashed this week but said her car's design had not been a factor, describing the incident as "just one of those things".

Hinchcliffe's car smashed into a wall before spinning out of control during Monday's practice session

The Canadian's Schmidt Peterson Motorsports car briefly caught fire before spinning to a halt

IndyCar said the Canadian driver was "alert and awake" but had suffered a thigh injury and required surgery