IndyCar Officiating has released more specific information regarding the types of penalties that can be imposed if technical violations are found.
The existence of three infraction categories was revealed publicly in early June, and now more details about the fines possible in each have been made public.
For Level 1 infractions, which include minor wing height measurements and minimum weight violation during qualifying, a $1,000 to $10,000 fine may be imposed and the team may be penalized 5-10 points.
For Level 2 infractions, the penalties rise to $10,000 to $25,000 and a 10-25 point penalty. The entrant may also be disqualified entirely from the race or qualifying, and it may be deemed appropriate to suspend the team managers and chief mechanic as well.
Violations that fall into this middle severity level include inappropriate wing angles, unapproved safety systems, unapproved sensors and monitors, and weight that falls below minimum values for the race.
Level 3 infractions, the most severe category, allows IndyCar Officiating to levy harsh fines of $25,000 to $100,000. The entrant may be stripped to up to 50 points as well.
These penalties are reserved for deliberate modifications to tightly controlled areas of the car in an effort to gain a competitive advantage.
There is a disclaimer on the guidelines that states “[These regulations] have no regulatory value, and each case will be treated according to its circumstances and particular elements.
“Decisions will always be at the IOI officials’ discretion, who will determine which penalty is appropriate, and may escalate any infraction one tier higher than its default classification based on repeat offense, improper conduct as defined under Rule 9.3.1, or other aggravating factors.”
For the recent race weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway, the first where a details transparency report was made available, no technical infractions were found.
Reports will be made available following each race weekend going forward.
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