Drivers in the NTT IndyCar Series are largely happy to see the series’ new independent officiating system implemented this season.
Starting this year, America’s top open wheel series will have an outside oversight board to enforce rules instead of those duties being handled by the series itself.
Since its announcement in December, the move has been widely praised as a step in the right direction by multiple members of the paddock.
Felix Rosensqvist expressed perhaps the strongest public opinions about the new arrangement. Speaking in a preseason media session, he discussed the distance it places between Team Penske and those that enforce the rulebook.
“I think it’s good to put some distance between Penske and the series,” said Rosenqvist. “I think they’ve been doing a good job.
“With the situation, you need to create like a barrier between the two. I think they’re doing the right thing. It’s probably going to turn out to be, a good product, as we’ve had.
“You can sort of defend that fact more that Penske is running the series, which has been a big topic. I’d rather go on Twitter reading about great racing been reading about Penske this, Penske that. I think it’s good.”
Need for the change in officiating stemmed in part from multiple technical violations committed by Team Penske in the past two seasons.
Rival teams felt aggrieved at times over the infractions and the subsequent handling of penalties handed down from the series.
Too early for full assessment
Multiple drivers have been asked how they feel about the new system and, while opinions were positive, a few were reluctant to comment too deeply on the subject.
Marcus Ericsson and Kyle Kirkwood in particular, who were both disqualified from their top 10 finishes in last year’s Indianapolis 500, were reserved in their early assessment of the changes.
“Yeah, I don’t know too much about it,” said Ericsson. “But from what I read about it, it sounds like a great thing. It’s only positive things from my point of view.”
His Andretti team-mate Kirkwood offered a bit more insight, saying that he hopes the optics are better without too many changes being made on the operational side.
“That’s something I stay out of,” said Kirkwood. “I don’t understand it that well if I’m being honest. I don’t think much is going to change.
“Quite honestly, I don’t think us drivers or teams really want things to change. It’s more — there’s a political view maybe from the outside that see it as a negative.
“But I personally think that the guys that are involved currently, you got Rocket [Kevin Blanch] in technical direction, you’ve got the stewards, you’ve got Kyle Novak as race director, and I think they do a phenomenal job, and I don’t want to see much change if I’m being honest.”
The independent board will be comprised of motorsports veteran Ray Evernham, technical expert Raj Nair, and FIA appointee Ronan Morgan.
The first race with the board in place takes place next weekend, with the 2026 season-opening round from the streets of St. Petersburg.
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