Intriguing alternate punishment suggested for Team Penske at Indy 500

Rinus Veekay has suggested that Team Penske should have faced a different punishment for their controversy in Indy 500 qualifying.

Penske’s Josef Newgarden and Will Power failed a technical inspection during Fast 12 and were not allowed to head out to the track.

The rear attenuator on both cars was at fault for an illegal modification.

The Team Penske duo did not take part in Sunday’s sessions, the second day of qualifying, and were later ruled to start at the back of the field for next weekend’s Indy 500.

But Veekay, who survived the Last Chance Qualifying session by bumping out Jacob Abel, thinks another ruling would be better suited.

“The cars went through tech several times last week,” Veekay was quoted by Indy Star.

“It was only discovered at that point.

“I would have thought it was fair if they had to go to the Last Chance Qualifier and deserved to fight their way into the field.

“It's an even more unfortunate situation for Jacob now.

"If you had told me a week ago that I'd be starting on the same row as two Penskes, I would have been very happy!

"Unfortunately, we're at the tail end of the field."

Should Jacob Abel replace Team Penske in Indy 500?

Veekay, whose Last Chance Qualifying progression meant he would have started 33rd, at the back, has now been nudged forward two positions with the Penske cars behind him.

Veekay’s Dayle Coyne Racing teammate Abel was the sole driver to be pushed out of the race after Sunday’s qualifying.

His exclusion can be viewed differently now, after Team Penske’s violation.

Abel said: “I do appreciate everyone’s support, saying we should be in the race because we were legal.

“But at the end of the day, we knew what we should do on Saturday and Sunday and, unfortunately, we came up short.

“I want to be in the Indy 500 more than anything in the world, but I don’t want to be there on a technicality.

“I want to deserve to be there. And we have our chances like every other car did and we didn’t make it.”

Team Penske have come under fire from several within the IndyCar paddock since their exclusion from qualifying on Sunday.

Scott Dixon insisted it was “a bad look” for the series.

McLaren’s Zak Brown went further by questioning the decision-making of the Team Penske bosses.