The IndyCar championship standings have been shaken up following a 10-point penalty issued to Josef Newgarden and Will Power for using the overtake system on restarts at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix. The penalty dropped Newgarden, who was leading the championship after two races, to 11th place with 34 points. McLaughlin, who finished third in St. Petersburg, dropped to 29th place with only five points after also experiencing a mechanical issue in Long Beach last weekend.
The penalty means that Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing now leads the championship standings with 79 points. Dixon finished fourth in St. Petersburg, but was promoted to third after the penalties to Newgarden and Power.
McLaughlin has since issued a statement on social media, saying that he accepts the penalty but maintains that he did not gain an advantage over his competitors. He said that he used the overtake system briefly out of habit, but did not pass any cars or gain any time advantage.
The IndyCar season continues this weekend at Barber Motorsports Park. McLaughlin will be looking to rebound from his recent struggles and move up the standings, while Dixon will try to extend his championship lead.
