Tim Cindric, the President of Team Penske, will face a suspension for the entire Month of May. This decision comes after Team Penske revealed that several key members of their IndyCar crew have been suspended due to their involvement in the recently discovered Push to Pass cheat. Following an extensive internal investigation, the team identified significant failures in their processes and internal communications. As a consequence, four team members, including Tim Cindric, Ron Ruzewski, Luke Mason, and Robbie Atkinson, will be suspended for the next two races, namely the Sonsio Grand Prix and the 108th Indianapolis 500.
Tim Cindric, being the President of Team Penske, holds a prominent position within the team and is therefore subject to the highest-profile suspension. Alongside him, the Managing Director Ron Ruzewski, the race engineer Luke Mason from the #2 crew, and the Senior Data Engineer Robbie Atkinson will also face suspensions. The statement released by the team does not explicitly admit to any intentional violation of IndyCar’s rules, but it does not seek to justify the team’s actions either.
In the team’s press release, Roger Penske expressed his apologies for the negative impact caused by his team’s actions on the reputation of the series. He acknowledged the gravity of the situation and the lasting consequences it has for the sport he has been dedicated to for many years. Penske stated, “Everyone at Team Penske, our fans, and our business partners should be aware that I take full responsibility for the mistakes that were made, and I deeply regret them.”
IndyCar has already imposed penalties following the discovery of the cheat. Josef Newgarden was disqualified from his victory at St. Pete, while Scott McLaughlin lost his podium finish. Will Power also received a penalty of 10 championship points. Additionally, all three teams were fined $25,000 and had to forfeit any prize money earned during the season’s opening round.
The suspension of Team Penske’s management during the Indy 500, which is considered the most prestigious event in IndyCar, represents one of the harshest punishments short of complete termination. The team has not yet disclosed how they will restructure their operations during the Month of May or who will assume the vacant positions for the next two championship rounds.