P1racenews AI automatic summary:
James Hinchcliffe among those questioning Penske as the accentuator controversy refuses to die down.
Former Andretti and Schmidt Peterson driver James Hinchcliffe believes Roger Penske’s ownership of both IndyCar and Team Penske “hinders the legitimacy” of America’s premier open-wheel series. Team Penske has been competing in IndyCar racing since 1968, but its billionaire owner stepped up his involvement in November 2019 by buying the championship and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from the Hulman family. There have been calls for IndyCar to introduce an independent officiating process to separate commercial and regulatory sides. After Team Penske was found to have illegally modified the rear crash support structure on cars in Indy 500 qualifying, IndyCar penalised drivers Newgarden and Power, and fined Penske. Hinchcliffe questions the control Roger Penske has over IndyCar, believing an owner shouldn’t run a team in the sport they oversee. The controversy has raised concerns about conflicts of interest and the series’ global legitimacy. Penske later fired staff members while emphasizing the importance of integrity in racing.
