IndyCar Drivers Still Can’t Agree on Push-to-Pass Rules

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IndyCar Drivers Still Can’t Agree on Push-to-PassMichael L. Levitt - Getty Images

Maybe it’s getting worse, this NTT IndyCar Series debate about the newly revised Push-to-Pass rules.

Following qualifying Saturday morning for the afternoon’s Sonsio Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a reporter asked Alex Palou—pole sitter, points leader, and winner at three of the year’s first five races—and No. 2 starter Pato O’Ward, “Gentlemen, since Thursday’s press conference, have you all had a little more clarity on the push-to-pass rule?”



Plainly, the answer is no. Here’s how Saturday’s debate unfolded, after a chaotic Friday confab:

PATO O'WARD: I mean, I think they clarified what action is going to get taken in case it is, like, happy pushed, but I don’t think there’s really a scenario where it can be anymore, because it’s probably just going to be on all the time. So, yeah, I can’t wait for the scenario where it’s, like, oh, someone had Push-to-Pass in the start, but who knows (laughing).
THE MODERATOR: It would be pretty rare for sure, right?
PALOU: Yeah, I mean, I still—
O’WARD: It’s going to be today (laughing).
PALOU: No, no, I mean, that would be good for me, so I can tuck behind him and just get towed up. No, it’s clear now, but you were saying it’s a rule. You know you—
O’WARD: The problem was it wasn’t a rule.

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Alex Palou.Michael L. Levitt - Getty Images



PALOU: Correct, but you were saying it was the rule.
O’WARD: Yeah, I think it was more a gentlemen’s agreement of like—
PALOU: What?
O’WARD: Yeah.
PALOU: Like, come on, you knew.
O’WARD: What do I knew?
PALOU: That it was not enabled. Not that you cannot use it—
O’WARD: Yeah, oh, it’s not enabled. Okay, that’s it, end of the story. Gentlemen’s agreement.




PALOU: No, no, but you knew, you knew that we can only use it—
O’WARD: No.
PALOU: No, no, I knew that it was not enabled, end of the story. If it’s enabled because someone else does a mistake—
O’WARD: No, no, no, the reason why people didn’t get penalized is because the screw-up was—
PALOU: So there was no rule?
O’WARD: No, you went into the gray area, and you got away with it.
PALOU: Gray area?
O’WARD: Yeah.
PALOU: What did the rule say? It’s not going to enable on restart.




O’WARD: The problem was the rule didn’t say anything.
PALOU: So it’s no gray area.
O’WARD: Yes.
PALOU: How?
O’WARD: Because at the end of the day, at the end of the day, the same action that Josef [Newgarden] got crucified for—
PALOU: It was not Josef’s fault. It’s the team’s fault. If the team is cheating, it’s not because of the driver.

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Pato O’Ward.Icon Sportswire - Getty Images


O’WARD: What do you mean?
PALOU: Josef, the drivers, did nothing wrong.
O’WARD: If you know you’re using it when no one else is using it—
PALOU: I always press it.
O’WARD: What?
PALOU: That’s how it’s found. Yes.
O’WARD: Why? In case it works?
PALOU: Yes.
O’WARD: Maybe that’s why I’m not winning races (laughing).

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