In a startling turn of events, Josef Newgarden's victory in last month's IndyCar season-opener at St. Petersburg has been rescinded, alongside the disqualification of his Team Penske teammate, Scott McLaughlin, from third place. The revelation stems from a breach involving the push-to-pass system during restarts, an infraction that has prompted multiple consequences.
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As a result of this violation, both Newgarden and McLaughlin have been stripped of the race results, while their teammate, Will Power, received a 10-point penalty for his involvement. The repercussions extend beyond mere relegation, with Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward now elevated to the top podium spot, followed by Power and Andretti Global's Colton Herta.
IndyCar's review uncovered that Team Penske had manipulated the push-to-pass system, granting the No. 2 and No. 3 cars an unfair advantage during restarts. This transgression, a clear breach of IndyCar regulations, was discovered during the warmup session for the Grand Prix of Long Beach, casting a shadow over the St. Petersburg race nearly a month and a half after its conclusion.
"An extensive review of data from the race on the Streets of St. Petersburg revealed that Team Penske manipulated the overtake system so that the No. 2, 3 and 12 cars could use Push to Pass on starts and restarts. According to the IndyCar rulebook, the use of overtake is not available during championship races until the car reaches the alternate start-finish line.
"It was determined that the No. 2 and the No. 3 gained a competitive advantage by using Push to Pass on restarts while the No. 12 did not."
IndyCar President Jay Frye emphasized the paramount importance of championship integrity, affirming that the series swiftly addressed the violation to ensure compliance moving forward. As a consequence, Team Penske faces significant penalties, including hefty fines and the forfeiture of prize money associated with the St. Petersburg race.
In response, Team Penske President Tim Cindric acknowledged the oversight, attributing the incident to the failure to remove push-to-pass software following hybrid testing. Cindric expressed acceptance of the penalties imposed by IndyCar, underscoring the team's commitment to accountability and fair competition.
"Unfortunately, the Push to Pass software was not removed as it should have been, following recently completed hybrid testing in the Team Penske Indy cars," Cindric said.
"This software allowed for Push to Pass to be deployed during restarts at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix race, when it should not have been permitted. The No. 2 car driven by Josef Newgarden and the No. 3 car driven by Scott McLaughlin both deployed Push to Pass on a restart, which violated IndyCar rules. Team Penske accepts the penalties applied by IndyCar."
The ramifications of this incident extend beyond individual drivers and teams, with Scott Dixon now assuming the championship lead.
