INDYCAR announced an update for the push-to-pass system in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone on May 5.
The update will allow drivers to use push-to-pass from on the first lap after the alternate start finish line and on all subsequent restarts rather than prohibiting its use on starts and restarts.
This change will go into effect for this week’s events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and will remain in effect for all future road and street circuit races.
These changes come after INDYCAR officiating announced its findings from a review of the push-to-pass software failure and corrective measures. The software failure that prompted the review occurred at the 2026 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 19.
“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 in a release. “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.”
The next event for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES is the Sonsio Grand Prix and is scheduled to take place Saturday, May 9, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, with coverage beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX One and the FOX Sports app.
Logan Kendall joined the Frontstretch team in 2025 as the Tuesday News Writer and fills in other roles as needed. He resides in the Finger Lakes region of New York and spends his free time writing as a hobby creatively and is a self published author.
Logan can be found on X @LoganKendall48
I don’t watch much F1 these days, is the rule that they cannot use it to defend? I think it’s a neat tool for Indycar to use on the open track when trying to make up time for an undercut/overcut on the pit stop strategy. Not sure if they could reliably just make it inactive for a defending driver when a car on the same lap is within a second behind – but it could be interesting, could generate more passes for the lead and interject new strategies to play out.
Meant for that to be a reply to daytight…
You are correct. F1 has specific detection points on the track. If the trailing car is within one second of the car ahead, they have access to additional power on the next straightaway. Most tracks have 2 – 3 of these. Through last year, it was active aerodynamics which activated, and this year it’s just a power boost, with all cars having active aero on the straights. Access to the boost is fully automatic, though the driver can choose whether they want to use it.
F1 has other issues this year, but this concept makes all the sense in the world to me. Modern racing is so aero dependent, we see Indycar leaders catching cars they’re hoping to lap, then stalling out because they can’t get the needed down force to exit onto the straight and make a pass. On many circuits, it’s essentially impossible to pass a competitive car with the current Indycar package.
I see what you’re saying about the tool being useful in other situations, and you’re absolutely correct there. That would be a loss. Still, it’s annoying to watch Indycars regularly stuck in formation. F1’s system isn’t perfect…tracks like Monaco are still just glorified parades. But on many other tracks, it makes passing possible, overcoming the aero deficit of the trailing car.
It’s not driver skill preventing the overtakes in Indycar, and it’s often not because cars are equally matched. It’s aero induced under steer. F1’s system also introduces a different strategy. Leading cars will often push, trying to get or maintain the 1 second gap, and trailing cars will also push, trying to get within 1 second, to get the boost.
The F1 boosts are disabled on starts/restarts, as well as in inclement weather. For the starts/restarts, it gives the leader a lap to try and earn a 1 second gap and not be a sitting duck, and obviously, adding even more power in the rain is a safety concern.
Now I feel the need to watch a few F1 races. :-)
Doubt you’d regret it. No commercials, and the tech/speed forever amazes me. They need to work out the balance of the hybrid power units this year, but otherwise, been a fun season so far. I like that F1 keeps the rules broad enough to allow teams to innovate.
Looks like hybrids with high RPM V8s may be coming in 2030 or 2031. Good. There’s nothing quite like the sound of a V8 turning 19k RPM. It’s like someone captured every hornet on the planet, put them in a bag, and shook them up to get them nice and angry.
I kind of like the push to pass feature, and actually prefer it inactive for the start/restart. I wonder how much they will burn each start? Indycar needs to look into this and perhaps give them more seconds to use so they don’t all just save it to burn up on restarts, run out (from restarts) and never actually get to use any on track to make passes.
I also hope it doesn’t lead to an increase in wrecks on starts/restarts as half the field jumps on the button while the other half is trying to save it (or has run out, if near the end).
Agree. I think IndyCar restarts already have enough chaos, and the last thing they need is a little more speed to pile into one another. I wish they’d adopt a system similar to F1, where you have to be within one second of the car ahead before you can use it. Would help a lot with the aero issues which can result in a procession of cars.