IndyCar news: Push to Pass rules to change after Long Beach failure

On Tuesday, May 5, IndyCar released a statement that Push to Pass will be expanded to give drivers the ability to enable it at all times on road and street courses, writes Sports News Blitz’s Katie Butler.

This expansion begins Saturday, May 9 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. 

Push to Pass, a driver controlled system used for overtaking and defending, provides an extra 50 to 60 horsepower when activated. 

It is activated by a driver by pressing a button stating ‘overtake’ on their steering wheel. 

After activated, a signal is sent to the car’s electrical control unit (ECU) which makes the car’s turbochargers push more air through the engine to create a boost of power. 

The managing body of IndyCar dictates how much Push to Pass a driver has per track. 

Ranging from 150 to 200 seconds, drivers use strategy to decide when they want to activate Push to Pass and how much they want to use at a time. 

But with differing reactions to the new rules, what has changed and why did it need to happen?

What has changed with this new expansion? 

Before the changes, Push to Pass was supposed to be disabled on restarts, except those with two or one laps left in the race, and enabled once a driver gets to the alternate start-finish line after the restart. 

Now, the system will be available at all times once the car crosses the alternate start-finish line after the green flag. 

This slight change means that drivers can use Push to Pass on race restarts, bringing greater overtaking possibilities. 

The rule prohibiting overtakes before the restart line still remains in effect. 

Additionally, before IndyCar software enabled and disabled the Push to Pass system. The rule written was: “[Restarts] will have the Push to Pass system disabled and will be enabled for a given Car once that Car reaches the alternate Start/Finish line.”

However, with recent changes the rule has the addition of: “It is the sole responsibility of the Competitors to ensure that Push to Pass is not utilized during any period where prohibited. Any successful utilization of the Push to Pass during such periods, regardless of IndyCar signal status, is prohibited and subject to penalty.” 

This means that drivers now face the responsibility of making sure they do not use Push to Pass at restricted times. 

Timing parameters, including time and maximum time per push, remain the same. 

READ MORE: Remembering Alex Zanardi: F1 driver, paralympian, and an unstoppable spirit

Why has this change come into place? 

The rule changes come after an incident at the Streets of Long Beach involving a Push to Pass software failure. 

The Push to Pass system shutdown, due to simultaneous messaging signals sent out to the cars instead of individual signals, resulting in the cars on track never receiving the signal to disable Push to Pass. 

The system was available for a caution restart on Lap 62. 12 cars used Push to Pass. 

No cars gained a position upon this restart except the No. 66 of Marcus Armstrong which passed the No. 14 of Santino Ferrucci. Both these cars, however, used near-equal amounts of Push to Pass. 

IndyCar President J. Douglas Boles said following the rule change: “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.” 

What are the reactions to the new Push to Pass rules?

IndyCar and IndyCar President J. Douglas Boles have a positive view on the new rules and changes stating: “While maybe ironic on how we transitioned to this procedural revision [the software failure in Long Beach], 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.” 

Not everyone joins him on this view. 

Graham Rahal, the No.15 driver at Rahal Letterman Laningan Racing, has a more negative view, stating: “I’m not a fan. Yes, it’s not available on the initial start, but it’s available on restarts. Yeah, I’m not a fan.” 

He continued on the subject stating: “Particularly at a track like [the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course] and Road America, everybody’s going to be on the [push to pass] button and everybody’s going to save up to make sure they’ve got a button left to use.

“And I’m not sure that that makes the racing any better. It would be the same if you all weren’t on the button… 

“To me, the rules are the rules. They’ve always been the rules. I wouldn’t change them.”

READ NEXT: F1 opinion: Ferrari’s new era, with one defining question