A software failure during the Long Beach event has led to a major competition change within the NTT IndyCar Series. Drivers will now have Push to Pass available at all times during street and road course events.
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According to a press release from IndyCar, the system that provides an extra 60 horsepower through a turbocharger boost will be available once the drivers take the green flag and once they pass the alternate start-finish line.
This provides more strategy options for teams as they compete on street circuits and road courses. However, drivers are still prohibited from passing prior to the restart line.
"The Push to Pass software failure at the Streets of Long Beach allowed IndyCar an opportunity to fully review the rules of the system and consider any improvements, including leaving Push to Pass available on restarts," IndyCar President J. Douglas Boles said in a press release.
"Push to Pass is a driver and team enhancement, which has evolved since its introduction in 2009, and - working with stakeholders - we believe it's time for this additional update.
"While maybe ironic on how we transitioned to this procedural revision, we look forward to seeing how this new opportunity to use Push to Pass will enhance strategy and the potential for even more wheel-to-wheel action."
The software failure that led to this change occurred during a Lap 61 restart on the streets of Long Beach. Push to Pass should not have been available to any of the drivers, but too many messages "sent from the IndyCar software to the receivers on the cars on track" overwhelmed this system.
As a result, 12 drivers had the opportunity to use Push to Pass at a time when they should not have been allowed. Following an investigation into the failure, IndyCar chose not to punish any of these drivers.
The group of drivers included Felix Rosenqvist, Alex Palou, Kyffin Simpson, Nolan Siegel, Santino Ferrucci, Marcus Armstrong, Rinus VeeKay, David Malukas, Romain Grosjean, Scott McLaughlin, Louis Foster, and Graham Rahal.
"This has been a superb example of IndyCar Officiating and IndyCar working together to provide our sport outcomes that will greatly benefit on-track competition," Boles added. "We are confident in the update to the software and are gratified with the outcome of this full review."
