By Austin Lawton, Staff Writer
On Tuesday, IndyCar announced an updated rule to the Push to Pass software following the Long Beach Grand Prix.
The overtaking enhancement, used to give drivers a few seconds of 60 extra horsepower through a turbocharger boost, was found to have a software glitch on the Lap 62 restart at Long Beach. IndyCar found that 12 drivers used Push to Pass, but did not gain a competitive advantage. The series ultimately took blame for the issue, putting to bed any speculation of team or driver manipulation of the software.
A new rule was put in place on Tuesday that allows the drivers access to press the button at all times, on road and street courses, once the car passes the alternate start/finish line on race restarts. The button will not be active on race starts, as it is on the driver to not press the button going into a race start.
“The Push to Pass software failure at the Streets of Long Beach allowed INDYCAR an opportunity to fully review the rules of the system and consider any improvements, including leaving Push to Pass available on restarts,” IndyCar President Doug Boles said. “Push to Pass is a driver and team enhancement, which has evolved since its introduction in 2009, and – working with stakeholders – we believe it’s time for this additional update.
“While maybe ironic on how we transitioned to this procedural revision, we look forward to seeing how this new opportunity to use Push to Pass will enhance strategy and the potential for even more wheel-to-wheel action.”
IndyCar released the cars that used the software, along with the total time used, as seen below:
| Car No. | Uses | Total Time (in seconds) |
| 3 | 1 | 3.0 |
| 6 | 3 | 8.0 |
| 8 | 2 | 12.1 |
| 10 | 3 | 15.1 |
| 12 | 1 | 6.0 |
| 14 | 2 | 7.0 |
| 15 | 1 | ~0.0 |
| 18 | 2 | 4.5 |
| 45 | 2 | 2.5 |
| 60 | 3 | 18.5 |
| 66 | 1 | 6.3 |
Felix Rosenqvist pressed the button the longest at 18.5 seconds, in an attempt to get the lead from Alex Palou, who pushed the button for 15.1 seconds. Marcus Armstrong and Santino Ferrucci were the only drivers noted by IndyCar Officiating to have passed each other, among the 12 drivers who pushed the button.
Armstrong and Ferrucci pushed the button an equal amount and their finishing results of 24th and 18th, respectively, still stand.
Saturday’s race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course will be the first race with the new rule and drivers Kyle Kirkwood and David Malukas note that it won’t make a difference.
“The only thing is you might want to save it a little bit more and maybe not use it as much on in-and-out laps and trying to overtake people and know that, if a restart comes at any point, you need to have it, or else you’re going to get passed,” Kirkwood said in a press conference on Thursday. “People might be hoarding it a little bit more. That’s really the only thing.”
“Maybe it could add something if, I don’t know, you’re a little bit quicker on pushing the button than somebody else, get a little wheel spin and the tires are still cold, then maybe there’s a possibility for more racing,” Malukas said .”It’s still going to be the same change for everybody, so not going to change much.”
The Long Beach incident is the second time in three years that Push to Pass has caused issues in IndyCar. Team Penske was found to have manipulated the software to give its drivers: Josef Newgarden, Scott McLaughlin and Will Power, the ability to use it when other drivers could not.