IndyCar championship points leader penalized again

For the second time in the last five races, IndyCar championship leader Alex Palou has been issued a six-position grid penalty.

Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou, who leads the IndyCar championship standings by 39 points over Arrow McLaren SP’s Pato O’Ward through 10 of the 2021 season’s 16 races, has been issued a six-place grid penalty for Sunday’s inaugural race on the streets of Nashville, Tennessee, the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix.

As a result, he can start no higher than seventh place in this 80-lap race around the 11-turn, 2.17-mile (3.492-kilometer) temporary street circuit in Nashville, Tennessee.

This marks the second time in the last five races that the driver of the #10 Honda has been issued a six-place grid penalty for a violation having to do with his car’s engine. This penalty comes after an unapproved engine change following a team test at Portland International Raceway.

In this instance, the #10 team was in violation of Rule 16.2.3.2.

This rule reads:

"“A fifth (5th) Engine is eligible to earn Engine Manufacturer points if a Full Season Entrant has completed the Full Season Entrant Engine Mileage with its first four (4) Engines. Otherwise, a fifth (5th) or more Engine does not earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Unapproved Engine change-out.”"

According to the rulebook, the penalty for such a change comes at the series’ next event, which is this Sunday’s race.

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Palou was issued a six-place grid penalty ahead of the first race on the streets of Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan back in mid-June after the #10 team violated Rule 16.5.4, which states that “once an Indianapolis 500 Engine is fitted to the Car, removal of the Engine prior to the Indianapolis 500 Race is an Unapproved Engine Change-Out, unless it is for Repair.”

In this instance, the first Belle Isle race was the next event. He qualified in 21st place and was dropped to 25th (only 25 cars in the field) before finishing in 15th.

In Friday’s opening practice session on the streets of Nashville, Palou posted the sixth fastest lap time. O’Ward posted the 21st fastest.

Tune in to NBC Sports Network at 5:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 8 for the live broadcast of the inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix from the streets of Nashville, Tennessee.