In a dramatic turn of events, Pato O’Ward has been declared the winner of the Streets of St. Petersburg race after the disqualification of Josef Newgarden, Scott McLaughlin, and Will Power. An investigation by IndyCar revealed that the three Team Penske drivers manipulated the overtake system, giving them an unfair advantage during restarts. Newgarden, driving the No. 2 car, had won the race, with McLaughlin (No. 3) finishing third behind O’Ward. However, these results have been overturned following the discovery of the violation. While Power (No. 12) was not disqualified, he did receive a 10-point penalty for his involvement. All three drivers have been fined $25,000 each and will forfeit all prize money earned in the race. The delay in announcing the penalties was due to a thorough review of data and a second inspection of the Team Penske cars during the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach warmup session. This turn of events has significantly altered the championship standings, with O’Ward now moving into the lead.
Penske Trio Disqualified from St. Petersburg Race for Rules Violation
