Russell Ward criticizes IMSA race control after pre-race penalty
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 20, 2026, 8:57 PM
Last updated Sep 20, 2026
Russell Ward and co-driver Philip Ellis faced a significant setback at the Indianapolis round of the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The Winward Racing team, leading the GTD points, was penalized to start from the back of the grid due to a pre-race infraction regarding pit entry. Ward expressed frustration over the decision and indicated that miscommunication contributed to the issue. Despite the challenging circumstances, his team aimed to regain their position during the race, with the No. 57 Mercedes-AMG GT3 already climbing into top-five contention with about an hour remaining.
- •Ward and Ellis entered the race as GTD championship leaders.
- •Qualifying was canceled due to lightning, affecting starting positions.
- •Ward criticized the penalty for violating Article 42.1 rules.
- •The No. 57 Mercedes climbed back into top-five contention.
- •Ward remains determined to compete despite the challenges.
- 8:57 PMYahoo Sports — Russell Ward blasts IMSA race control for "bad call" in fiery interview
- 8:57 PMMotorsport.com — Russell Ward blasts IMSA race control for "bad call" in fiery interview
"Russell Ward and co-driver Philip Ellis entered the Indianapolis round of the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in control of the GTD points lead. The Winward Racing duo was due to start from pole after GTD qualifying was cancelled because of lightning, but a pre-race penalty sent the No. 57 Mercedes to the back of the grid, a decision Ward strongly criticised. According to race ...Keep reading
""It seems that every committee in this organization is doing whatever they can to prevent us from winning," said the GTD championship leader
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsSep 20, 2026, 8:57 PMRussell Ward blasts IMSA race control for "bad call" in fiery interview
"It seems that every committee in this organization is doing whatever they can to prevent us from winning," said the GTD championship leader
- Motorsport.comSep 20, 2026, 8:57 PMRussell Ward blasts IMSA race control for "bad call" in fiery interview
Russell Ward and co-driver Philip Ellis entered the Indianapolis round of the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in control of the GTD points lead. The Winward Racing duo was due to start from pole after GTD qualifying was cancelled because of lightning, but a pre-race penalty sent the No. 57 Mercedes to the back of the grid, a decision Ward strongly criticised. According to race ...Keep reading
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