Pato O'Ward says IndyCar series looks up to Penske, but questions the examples it's setting

The IndyCar Series is heading to the 109th Indianapolis 500 this Sunday amid a rules infraction by Team Penske. Modified rear attenuators found on the No. 12 and No. 2 cars during Sunday’s Fast 12 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway led to an initial decision to make Josef Newgarden and Will Power start 11th and 12th in the upcoming race and new penalties arriving Monday that sent them to the back of the field. Team Penske received other punishments as well.

McLaren driver, Pato O’Ward was one of the first drivers to express an opinion about the matter, and it was a strong one. When addressing the media following his front-row start in Fast 6, he said that both cars should have been sent to the last-chance qualifier.

In an interview with Motorsport.com, the Mexican driver emphasized the significance of this technical infraction by Team Penske, given the magnitude of the Indianapolis 500.

“My answer was never to force IndyCar into a decision. I think that’s just something that naturally had to come about. You need to put yourself in the position of the guy that’s going home (Jacob Abel). I think he doesn’t want to be a part of this event just because of the technicality of someone else, but there’s so much that goes into this event. It’s a world-class event. This is not a national event. This is a world-class event. It’s so important to make sure that we’re fighting all in an even playing field. At least with legality.”

For O’Ward, it’s impossible to overlook the fact that the owner of the offending team, Roger Penske, also owns the IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He sees Team Penske as the benchmark and questions the example the organization is setting.

“It’s important to also realize that while there’s so much at stake. The team that is also doing these infractions owns the series. They own the Speedway. They own the series. They are the benchmark. They’re the heroes to many of us. We are the underdogs striving to be like them. We are the team that’s striving to beat them. What example are you setting? First of all for your fans. Second of all for the honor of your own series. And three: what are you showing people? Are you doing that because you don’t believe in your drivers? You’ve got amazing drivers in your team. I get that we’re always pushing the limits of what’s legal or not in order to gain that advantage, (but) it’s not a good look.”

The technical breach that came to light last Sunday is the second involving Team Penske in 14 months, following a double disqualification for using an illegal push-to-pass system in St. Petersburg last year. Additionally, O’Ward stated that there were other infractions for which Penske was fined but managed privately.

“I’m not sure if many people know. They’ve been caught twice already in a span of a year. These are the only two times that it’s been public. But it hasn’t been the only two times. There’s been another two or three things that they’ve caught about them, IndyCar Tech, where they just received fines. But ultimately it’s not a good look. It’s not a good look at all. Whether it’s become public or not. This one obviously was very public. But some of the other things are also performance enhancers. For the race cars, not for the drivers. Those were not public. It was: ‘Oh, something was off.’ And they just got a fine.”

“They don’t have to be doing this. Especially when the first thing people are going to go to is a conflict of interest. Because they obviously own the series. And no one’s going to be doing extra work just for the aesthetic of something. That is just the biggest BS I’ve ever heard. You will do this to gain an advantage and to be better and faster. You’re not going to do this just because it looks better.”

O’Ward lost the Indianapolis 500 last year after a final-lap battle with Newgarden, during which the Penske driver overtook his Arrow McLaren rival to secure the victory. The car is now at the renovated IMS Museum and features a modified rear attenuator similar to the one seen on Sunday. While the car doesn’t necessarily need to be exactly as it was at the end of the race, there are also reports of photos from that day where the Team Penske Chevrolet No. 2 appears to have it, too.

When asked about it, O’Ward said the focus should be on what can’t be seen from the Penske cars, considering their performance. However, he plans to use this as motivation as he bids for his first win in the 500.

“I mean, I feel like in a certain way it explains the unexplainable. From a gap that you wouldn’t be able to see any other car on the grid close. At that moment, at least in the last lap, the way that he just caught up even when the toe was broken a bit and just cleared. Like the speed, the natural speed of those cars currently. Even without this piece. What makes me wonder is that… that’s something we can see. I wonder what else and what other things are among those cars that we cannot see, that explain the ability to do some of the things where you’re like ‘How are they doing this?’ But I don’t want to get into it really. I think that’s just more motivation to when we actually get it done and we beat them. It’s going to feel real good.”