Josef Ne✃wgarden has been disqualified and has lost his victory from last month at St. Petersburg.

Fellow Team Penske driver Scoܫtt McLaughlin has also been disqualified.

Both drivers violated IndyCar’s “Push to Pass” regulation in th🐬e Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, it has been ruled.

Pato O’Ward, as a result, has been named as the retrospective winnꦑer of the race.

Newga🐟rden and McLaughlin gained ✨an advantage on restarts, it was ruled.

Will Power was docked🍌 10 points but not disqualified because, although he also violated the rule,🐟 he did not gain an advantage.

All three drive♕rs were fined $25,000 and forfeit their prize money from t♏he season-opening race.

Newgarden has dropped fr🧔om topping the IndyCar standings down to 11th, as a result.

Scott Dixon now leads the standings.

“The integrity of the INDYCAR SERIES championship is critical to everything we do,” IndyCar president 🙈Jay Frye said.

“While the violation went undetected at St. Petersburg, ౠINDYCAR discovered the manipulation during Sunday’s warmup in Long Beach and immediately addressed it ensuring all cars were compliant for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

“Beginning with this week’s race꧒ at Barber Motorsports Park, new technical inspection procedures will be in place to deter this💟 violation.”

IndyCar insisted that “Team Penske manipulated the overtake sy🍬stem” and their drivers used “Push to Pass on starts and restarts”.

A statement added: “According to the IndyCar rulebook, use of overtake is not available during championship races until the car reaches theꦏ alternate s𓃲tart-finish line.

“It was determined that (Newgarden) and (McLaughlin) gained a competitive advanta💧ge by꧃ using Push to Pass on restarts while (Power) did not.”

Team Penske confirmed they ♌accept the ruling and will no🐻t appeal.

Team Penske president Tim Cindric said: “Unfortunately, the push-to-pass software was🐲 not removed as it should have been, following recently completed hybrid testing in the Team Penske Indy cars.

“This software allowed for push-to-pass to be deployed during restarts at the St. Peters𓆏burg Grand Prix race, when it should not have been permitted. The No. 2 car driven by Josef Newgarden and the No. 3 car driven by Scott McLaughlin, both deployed push-to-pass on a restart, which violated INDYCAR rules. Team Penske accepts the penalties applied by IndyCar.”