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IndyCar Allows Push To Pass On Restarts For Upcoming Races In 2026
TL;DR
IndyCar will allow the Push to Pass system on restarts starting in 2026, enhancing competition on street and road courses. This change aims to give drivers more strategic options during races.
Key points
- IndyCar allows Push to Pass on restarts starting in 2026
- Push to Pass provides 60 extra horsepower
- Change applies to street and road courses
- Effective from the May 9 Sonsio Grand Prix
- Announcement made on May 5
Graham Rahal (#15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda) and Alex Palou (#10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) battle for position into turn one on the opening lap of the NTT IndyCar Series Sonsio Grand Prix on May 10, 2025, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
IndyCar teams and drivers will have more opportunities to use the Push to Pass system on restarts on street and road courses, beginning with the May 9 Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. IndyCar made the announcement on May 5.
Push to Pass – a driver-controlled system that provides roughly 60 extra horsepower via increased turbocharger boost – will be available and allowed for use at all times once the car passes the alternate start-finish line following the start and once the green flag has been displayed.
Expanded availability, which now includes use on race restarts, will provide teams and drivers additional tools and overtake possibilities during the crucial moments of race restarts. The rule prohibiting passing prior to the restart line remains in effect.
“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 J. Douglas 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.”
Push to Pass timing parameters, including time and maximum time per push, remain unchanged.
Push To Pass Update Follows A Review By IndyCar Officiating
The update comes as IndyCar Officiating, in a separate announcement, provided its findings following a thorough review of the Push to Pass software failure, corrective measures and other rule updates.
“This has been a superb example of IndyCar Officiating and IndyCar working together to provide our sport outcomes that will greatly benefit on-track competition,” Boles said. “We are confident in the update to the software and are gratified with the outcome of this full review.”
In a separate announcement on May 5, IndyCar’s Independent Officiating Body released the details of software failure that allowed 12 drivers to use Push to Pass on a Lap 61 restart in the April 19 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. IndyCar Officiating absolved all 12 of wrongdoing saying the burden of the software failure was IndyCar’s responsibility.
With the new rule, Push to Pass on a restart is now allowed.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
Q&A
What is the Push to Pass system in IndyCar?
The Push to Pass system is a driver-controlled feature that provides approximately 60 extra horsepower through increased turbocharger boost.
When will the new Push to Pass rules take effect in IndyCar?
The new rules allowing Push to Pass on restarts will take effect starting with the May 9, 2026, Sonsio Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
How does the Push to Pass system impact IndyCar races?
The Push to Pass system enhances competition by allowing drivers to strategically increase their power during critical moments, particularly on restarts.
