P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Team Penske ‘illegal’ parts row takes stunning twist with key departures
Team Penske announced the departure of Tim Cindric, its IndyCar Team President, following an illegal parts incident at the Indy 500. During qualifying, the Penske cars of Josef Newgarden and Will Power were flagged for a technical infringement related to the attenuator. This involved smoothing over carbon fibre weaves on the rear crash structure, a violation of technical regulations aimed at improving aerodynamics. The smoothed areas were allegedly modified by Penske mechanics due to aesthetics, in an attempt to reduce drag and increase speed. Despite winning the 2024 Indy 500, Newgarden’s car and Power’s car were penalized, sent to the back of the field, fined $200,000 each, and their team strategists suspended. Cindric, a long-time associate of Roger Penske, has parted ways with the team in the wake of this controversy, which marks another setback following a previous scandal involving illegal use of Push to Pass.
