Santino Ferrucci Claims Career-Best IndyCar Finish After Key Detroit Caution

Santino Ferrucci achieved his best-ever finish in the NTT IndyCar Series in Detroit, crossing the line in second place after a perfectly timed caution gave him and A.J. Foyt Racing a well-earned boost.

Ferrucci started Sunday’s 100-lap Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix from 21st on the grid, having struggled during qualifying the day before.

He admitted to making mistakes but credited his team for flawless pit stops and a bold strategy that put him in contention.

The pivotal moment came on lap 65, soon after Ferrucci had completed a pit stop.

Callum Ilott, racing for Prema, lost a wheel right after exiting pit lane, which forced race control to deploy a full-course caution.

Only three cars outside of Ilott, including Ferrucci, Kyffin Simpson, and Marcus Armstrong, had already pitted at this stage.

When the rest of the field made their stops under yellow, Ferrucci and the other two cycled to the front. Holding the lead was not easy, especially against the fast cars behind.

Kyle Kirkwood, who would go on to win the race, moved past Ferrucci and the others in succession, taking the lead away with 22 laps to go.

Ferrucci found himself under pressure from several competitors as his tires began to fall off.

Just as his podium hopes looked threatened, a crash between Felix Rosenqvist and Louis Foster brought out a red flag on lap 83, stopping the race.

Ferrucci said the stoppage came at the perfect moment, allowing him to refocus and cool his tires after struggling to bring them back to life.

When the action resumed, he battled with Colton Herta and Will Power, ultimately holding on to secure second place.

The finish marked not only a milestone for Ferrucci, but also gave Chevrolet its only podium in their headline race.

This podium was the second of Ferrucci’s IndyCar career and his first since finishing on the podium at the Indianapolis 500.

It also followed a recent fifth-place run at Indianapolis, showing steady form for the 25-year-old Connecticut native.

With the Detroit race behind him, Ferrucci now sits 10th in the driver standings, nestled between Andretti Global’s Herta and Marcus Ericsson.

A.J. Foyt Racing, which has faced tough results in recent months, celebrated the team’s highest finish in a while.

Ferrucci was quick to highlight the combined efforts of the crew, race strategy, and a bit of luck with the timing of the yellows that helped secure the result.

The 2025 Detroit Grand Prix saw Ferrucci transform a challenging weekend into his strongest yet in the IndyCar Series.

A timely caution, sharp decisions, and resilience on track combined to reward both driver and team with a memorable finish as the season rolls on.

In a sport often dominated by mechanical performance and strategy, Ferrucci’s achievement recalls similar moments of strategic brilliance seen elsewhere in motorsport, reminiscent of how Leclerc denies Ferrari hype in Formula 1.

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.