The fallout from Team Penske's illegal use of push-to-pass technology during the IndyCar series season-opener has cast a shadow over the sport — and Michael Andretti, owner of Andretti Global, has his doubts about the explanations. He's not alone.
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Andretti weighed in on the controversy, shedding light on his stance regarding accountability and integrity within racing teams.
During an interview on NASCAR veteran Kenny Wallace's YouTube Channel, Andretti expressed his perspective on the matter, suggesting that immediate action, including potential personnel changes, would be warranted within his own team if a similar situation were to arise. Speculation loomed over whether Roger Penske, owner of the implicated team, was aware of the infractions, underscoring the uncertainty surrounding the issue.
"My opinion is they knew exactly what they had," Andretti said. "They used this, especially Josef, and it was an advantage. I mean, he blew by Colton at the start of the race. So it was noticeable and it may have made a difference in the race.
"So yeah, it, it's disappointing for sure that they went and they did that. I just wish they just would have owned it more and just said, 'Hey, all right, we got busted. Let's go on.' Instead, the drivers had their story, Cindric had his story, and some of the others had theirs. None of the stories matched up. They should have just went with it and been transparent about it."
Following IndyCar's discovery of the rule breaches, severe penalties were levied, including disqualification of race winners and points deductions for drivers involved. Andretti commended IndyCar for its handling of the matter but voiced disappointment over the incident's implications.
Echoing sentiments from fellow drivers, Andretti questioned the explanations provided by Team Penske and emphasized the significance of accountability and honesty in motor racing. Despite the controversy, Team Penske continued to perform admirably in subsequent races, with Will Power securing a victory at Barber Motorsports Park.
