Aussie IndyCar star denies cheating allegations after being engulfed in saga that saw Kiwi driver disqualified
- Team Penske’s drivers were fined and disqualified after the race at Long Beach
- It was determined that the push-to-power system had been tampered with
- Aussie and Kiwi drivers were caught up in the scandal
Australian racer Will Power said he didn’t know Team Penske’s push-to-power system had been tampered with until after last weekend’s IndyCar race in Long Beach.
He also stated that he has never used the system against the rules.
Team Penske is facing serious questions after the first race of the season on March 10 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Here Josef Newgarden lost his victory and Scott McLaughlin, who came third, was disqualified.
Power, who finished fourth, was not disqualified but lost 10 points and, along with the other Penske drivers, was fined $38,200.
IndyCar did not blame Power for breaking the rules, but punished him because all three Penske cars had the modified systems after a warm-up in California.
Australian driver Will Power denies any knowledge of the push-to-pass system active in his vehicle
The Aussie finished the race in fourth place and was therefore not disqualified or charged with breaking any rules
“I was disappointed to hear about the punishment we received from IndyCar this week,” Power wrote on social media.
“There was an oversight by our team and I was not aware of the situation until it was brought to our attention after Long Beach.
“According to the rules, I did not use the P2P options during a start or restart during the race in St. Petersburg,” he continued.
“While I accept the punishment, I want it to be known that I did nothing wrong and followed the rules.”
Team Penske claimed the push-to-pass system on its three cars was accidentally used in a test for new hybrid engines and was not removed before the season started.
The system remained in the cars for three races. Video footage from Newgarden’s car shows him illegally using push-to-pass during a restart.
McLaughlin admitted to using the system briefly, saying it did not change his position in the race and that he did it out of habit.
Team Penske drivers Josef Newgarden (center) and Scott McLaughlin (right) finished first and third, but were both disqualified
A fault with the Penske cars allowed them to use push-to-pass at the start of the race and restart, meaning McLaughlin (pictured) was disqualified from third place
IndyCar rules prohibit the use of push-to-pass at the start and during restarts, and the button should not work.
The problem was discovered in California when a glitch left only the three Penske cars with working push-to-pass. IndyCar checked it out, found the systems were illegal and had the team fix them before the race.
Roger Penske, owner of the team, IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, told The Associated Press he was embarrassed by the scandal.
Newgarden hasn’t spoken about it yet, but he has a press conference scheduled for him in Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park.
IndyCar has not shared any evidence that Newgarden cheated to win.
His disqualification dropped him from first to 11th in points, impacting him just as the second season of “100 Days to Indy,” in which Newgarden plays a prominent role, began.
Newgarden, the current Indy 500 winner and two-time IndyCar champion, is in a contract year with Penske. He is reportedly looking for a raise to match the recent deals signed by Colton Herta and Pato O’Ward, who have won less than Newgarden.
O’Ward was declared the winner in St. Pete following the disqualifications, marking Arrow McLaren’s first victory since 2022.