North American open-wheel giant IndyCar has spent the last few weeks trying to put out a fire it accidentally started.
What initially looked like a harmless software glitch during the Grand Prix of Long Beach quickly snowballed into a full-blown officiating controversy, reviving uncomfortable memories of the Team Penske push-to-pass scandal from 2024 and reopening old wounds about competitive integrity across the garage.
Now, with the Sonsio Grand Prix weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway around the corner, the series has finally pulled back the curtain. Recently, the sanctioning body released the names of every driver who used push-to-pass during the controversial restart in Long Beach and clarified how the malfunction occurred.
And, most importantly, rewrote the rules entirely to stop the situation from ever happening again.
IndyCar reveals drivers involved in Long Beach push-to-pass drama
The controversy traces back to Lap 62 during the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, following the 90-lap race’s lone caution period. Under IndyCar’s previous rules, push-to-pass, the temporary 50-horsepower boost available on road and street circuits, was not supposed to activate until drivers completed the first flying lap after a restart.
To add insult to injury, due to an IndyCar software malfunction, the system remained active immediately after the restart, effectively allowing the entire field access to extra power earlier than intended. While some drivers ignored it, others instinctively pressed the button just to see if it worked.
And once it became clear the system was live, the gray area began. Incidentally, twelve of the 25 drivers used push-to-pass during the restart lap.
Among them was eventual race winner and points leader Alex Palou, who activated the system three separate times for a combined 15.1 seconds. Meanwhile, Meyer Shank Racing’s No. 60 ace Felix Rosenqvist logged the most usage overall at 18.5 seconds, as Marcus Armstrong notably used the boost while overtaking Santino Ferrucci.
No penalties
Ironically, Ferrucci himself actually used more total push-to-pass time than Armstrong during the restart sequence.
The release also produced one of the stranger moments in the Graham Rahal controversy. After initially insisting he hadn’t used the system, IndyCar’s data showed Rahal did technically press the button but for exactly zero recorded seconds, suggesting an accidental tap rather than intentional usage.
And naturally, after 2024’s Team Penske scandal at St. Petersburg, attention immediately shifted toward Josef Newgarden. This time, however, Newgarden was not among the implicated drivers, though fellow Penske-affiliated names like Scott McLaughlin and David Malukas appeared on the list.
Ultimately, IndyCar chose not to penalise anyone, largely because the failure originated from the sanctioning body itself rather than team-side manipulation. Still, the incident exposed an awkward loophole. Which begs the question, if drivers know the system should be disabled, but it suddenly works anyway, are they wrong for pressing the button?
Well, IndyCar’s answer now appears to be yes!
Doug Boles explains IndyCar’s push-to-pass rule overhaul
Rather than simply brushing off the Long Beach incident as an isolated race hiccup, IndyCar Officiating, the new independent body in charge of the championship’s sporting and technical regulations, used it as an opportunity to simplify one of the most confusing restart procedures in the series rulebook.
Under the revised regulations, drivers and teams will now be held fully responsible for any improper use of push-to-pass, regardless of whether the system malfunctions, with the feature available for full-time use beginning this week at Indianapolis.
In short, if the button works when it shouldn’t, using it will still trigger penalties. That said, IndyCar also decided to relax some restart restrictions entirely. Previously, push-to-pass remained disabled until drivers crossed the alternate start-finish line after a restart.
But, going forward, the system will still be prohibited on the opening lap of races, though it will now become available immediately under green-flag conditions following restarts.
Available on restarts?
“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 Doug Boles explained before adding,
“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.”
With new stipulations in place, Indianapolis’ road race feature brings extra attention, and this weekend’s festivities will once again blend motorsport with Indiana basketball culture.
On that note, Andrew Nembhard of the Indiana Pacers is set to ride in IndyCar’s two-seater before Saturday’s Sonsio Grand Prix, continuing the franchise’s long-standing connection with the Speedway.
Past Pacers stars like Tyrese Haliburton, Victor Oladipo, and Reggie Miller have all participated in Indy 500 festivities over the years, adding to the storied history of the prestigious event.
