Tim Cindric, the president of Team Penske, will face a suspension throughout the month of May. This decision comes after Team Penske’s revelation that several key members of their IndyCar team have been suspended due to their involvement in the recently discovered Push to Pass trick. After an extensive internal investigation, the team identified significant flaws in their internal processes and communications. As a consequence, four team members, including Tim Cindric, Ron Ruzewski, Luke Mason, and Robbie Atkinson, will be suspended for the next two races, namely the Sonsio Grand Prix and the 108th Indianapolis 500.
Tim Cindric, being the president of Team Penske, holds a prominent position within the team and therefore is subject to a more prominent suspension. Alongside him, CEO Ron Ruzewski, race engineer Luke Mason from team #2, and senior data engineer Robbie Atkinson will also face suspensions. The statement released by the team does not explicitly admit any intentional violation of IndyCar rules, but also does not seek to justify the team’s actions.
In the team’s press release, Roger Penske expressed his apologies for the negative impact caused by his team’s actions on the series’ reputation. He acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and the lasting consequences it has for the sport to which he has dedicated many years. Penske stated: «Everyone at Team Penske, our fans, and our commercial partners should be aware that I take full responsibility for the mistakes that were made and deeply regret them.»
La IndyCar ya impuso penalidades después de descubrir el truco. Josef Newgarden fue descalificado de su victoria en St. Pete, mientras que Scott McLaughlin perdió su podio. Will Power también recibió una penalidad de 10 puntos en el campeonato. Además, los tres equipos fueron multados con US$ 25.000 y tuvieron que renunciar a cualquier premio en efectivo ganado durante la primera etapa de la temporada.
La suspensión de la gestión del Team Penske durante la Indy 500, que es considerado el evento más prestigioso de la IndyCar, representa una de las sanciones más severas, excepto la rescisión completa. El equipo aún no ha revelado cómo reestructurará sus operaciones durante el Mes de Mayo o quién ocupará los puestos vacantes en las dos próximas etapas del campeonato.
