In the context of the imminent competition at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Jonathan Diuguid, president of Team Penske, has addressed the exemplary penalty imposed on driver Kevin Estre by IMSA. Estre was hit with a two-race suspension due to an incident on the final straight of the race at Road America, where he collided with Jack Aitken of the Whelen Cadillac while fighting for second place.
This incident has led IMSA, through race director Beaux Barfield, to issue a strict warning to Estre, which implies that he could be excluded from competition mid-race if he becomes involved in a similar incident again.
Diuguid has defended Estre’s previous conduct, stating that, up to this point in the season, he has maintained a clean record and has not been involved in incidents justifying the severe penalty. «The penalty is harsh, no doubt. I think IMSA is just trying to set an example, which they have every right to do,» Diuguid stated during a press conference.
The team president made it clear that, despite the incidents, the Porsche team has competed cleanly throughout the season. He also emphasized the importance of controlling what they can control, while IMSA manages the championship. Diuguid maintained that the penalty was not specifically directed at Estre or Porsche, but is part of IMSA’s regulatory style.
For the competition, Porsche Penske Motorsport has restructured its driver lineup, incorporating Laurin Heinrich alongside Estre in the #6 Porsche 963. Heinrich is currently Porsche’s highest-ranked driver, chasing championship leader Aitken.
With Barfield’s warning about the «extremely short leash» that Estre is under, Diuguid is confident that the pairing of drivers will not negatively affect the team’s championship aspirations. «Kevin is extremely professional and knows how to assess each situation,» concluded Diuguid.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI