Josef Newgarden held back tears as he expressed his apologies to the IndyCar community and fans after being disqualified from the St. Petersburg race. He described it as “devastating” and “embarrassing” and admitted that he had let his team down.
The announcement of Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin’s disqualification had a major impact on the IndyCar paddock. The disqualification occurred because both drivers used push-to-pass on restarts, which went against the rules. The team attributed the error to incorrect software left in the car from a pre-season hybrid test.
While McLaughlin and another Penske driver, Will Power, released statements clarifying their positions, Newgarden faced criticism for not making a statement earlier. However, he felt it was important to address the media directly, which he did in an emotional 35-minute press conference.
During the press conference, Newgarden took full responsibility for his actions and apologized to fans, teammates, and competitors. He acknowledged that he had fallen short of the high standards he had set for himself throughout his career.
Newgarden revealed that he had been thinking incessantly about facing the media and that it kept him up at night. He admitted to hitting the push-to-pass button even though he knew it wasn’t legal at that moment. He explained that he believed there had been a rule change regarding the use of push-to-pass on restarts, which led to his decision.
Newgarden’s explanation was challenged by other drivers, including Colton Herta, who rejected his justification. The controversy surrounding the disqualification also raised questions about Penske’s ownership of both the team and the championship.
Newgarden acknowledged that he made notes after the race, but did not pay attention to the push-to-pass data on other cars, assuming that everyone was using it. When asked why his data engineer did not notice the violation, he said that no one on the team believed they had done anything wrong.
The timing of the rule violation discovery, a month after the race, made it difficult for fans and people in the paddock to believe the explanations provided. Some accused Team Penske of lying about the software error.
Despite the skepticism surrounding his explanation, Newgarden remains focused on regaining his position in the championship. He has dropped to 11th place, but is determined to bounce back at Barber. Additionally, he is currently in a free agency situation, with rumors suggesting he will re-sign with Penske, despite interest from other teams.
Facing the press head-on was a significant step for Newgarden, even knowing that not everyone will believe his explanation. Now, he is ready to move forward and focus on his racing career.
