Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden continued to face difficulties in the 2025 IndyCar season as his struggles at the Detroit Grand Prix worsened on May 31. During Round 1 of qualifying, Newgarden’s run was abruptly ended when he clipped the left front of his car, causing damage that eliminated him from further contention and set him up to start deep in the field on race day. These challenges add to a difficult year that has frustrated Newgarden and his team.
The qualifying incident was immediately evident to commentators, who noted how the crash would disrupt not only Newgarden’s progress but potentially impact other drivers as well. One commentator remarked,
“Oh, Josef Newgarden, he has tapped the wall. He clipped the wall, it’s bent. Left rear totally. He has got David Malukas right behind him. So that would have held up Dave, but that shouldn’t affect him. But that’s going to affect everyone else, day done for Newgarden.”
—Commentators
Reflection on Newgarden’s 2025 IndyCar season and recent Indy 500 performance
Josef Newgarden’s 2025 IndyCar season has been marked by persistent setbacks, including controversy and mechanical issues. His poor results have hindered his ability to accumulate points, leaving him 13th in the drivers’ standings with just 104 points. A major blow was his 22nd-place finish at the Indianapolis 500 on May 25, where he started from the back due to a penalty linked to the use of modified attenuators, limiting his chances for a stronger performance.
Speaking after the Indy 500, Newgarden expressed his frustration but also maintained a degree of gratitude for the opportunity to compete. He said,
“It’s tough to not have a shot here at the end. It’s a team sport. It takes everything to win here. I’m still immensely grateful to run at Indianapolis. As tough as it is to take, I still feel grateful to be out here today. I just wish we had a chance to fight for it. We didn’t get to see what we had in this Shell V-Power Chevrolet. We were slowly working forward. Thank you to our partners and our whole team. It’s a big effort and a shame to not be there in the fight,”
—Josef Newgarden, Team Penske.
Past achievements and outlook for the rest of the 2025 season
Newgarden’s current struggles stand in sharp contrast to his previous successes. In the 2024 IndyCar campaign, he ended the season in eighth place overall, securing two victories, two pole positions, and multiple top-five and top-ten finishes over a 17-race schedule. Those results set a solid benchmark for the driver and Team Penske.
As the 2025 season unfolds, starting with the Detroit Grand Prix on June 1, Newgarden faces a challenging path to improve his standing. Given his current 13th place in the points and the setbacks he has faced, it is clear that significant effort and a clean run of results are needed to claw back toward a top-tier finish and replicate or exceed last year’s achievements. The Detroit Grand Prix, known for its tough street course and unpredictable conditions, represents a critical opportunity for Newgarden to halt his losing streak and spark a resurgence.
