| NTT INDYCAR SERIES News ConferenceThursday May 22, 2025Indianapolis, Indiana, USASantino Ferrucci – A.J. Foyt RacingStarts 15th THE MODERATOR: Santino, how would you describe your month or two weeks of May? SANTINO FERRUCCI: I don’t know if I want to summarize my month (smiling). It’s been a lot. I really feel for my crew, who have probably split the car now eight times, which you’re only really supposed to do three. I feel really bad for those guys. They’ve been working really hard to give me a really, really solid race car. Monday practice was the first time we got to really be out there racing in the pack. I felt really competitive. Was able to pass a bunch of people, especially in the train. Couple small changes we want to do for Friday’s practice. Hope that everything is the same once we put it back together for the weekend. Q. Santino, INDYCAR season is finished after the European standard relatively early by the end of August. A couple of years ago you did some NASCAR stuff. Are you planning to do similar things the rest of the year to stay sharp? SANTINO FERRUCCI: I’d like to. I don’t have anything currently on my schedule. The only thing past INDYCAR that I have is the Chili Bowl, which I’ll be back again for. As everybody knows, I love my dirt racing. If I could figure something out over there once our season is over and my job is complete here at INDYCAR, then yeah, definitely. Q. Santino, you’re always up in the front of this race leading. How do you think the race is going to run with the hybrid, the conditions? SANTINO FERRUCCI: I think conditions… Even having the hybrid in the car, it makes it a little bit more free on the entry, which is one thing. Everybody is kind of fighting the same things, free in, pushy off. At the end of the day, the biggest thing that affects our racing other than downforce is the tires. If the tires are wearing really good or wearing out too aggressively or not wearing at all, really have a big impact on our racing. From what I can tell, it’s going to be pretty decent. The weather is going to help us. When it gets really hot and you can’t follow and you have as much downforce on as you possibly can. Gets cool like this, we can trim the cars out, not run wickers on the rear and get a lot closer. It’ll also allow the track to run two lanes, which is nice. Two lanes at the start, not two lanes throughout. I think it should be pretty good. If we get a nice 65-, 70-degree day, a little bit overcast, even for the fans that don’t want to be sunburnt, it will probably be good for everybody.Q. Santino, how do you think the personnel changes at Team Penske could impact the technical alliance that you have? SANTINO FERRUCCI: To be honest with you, I don’t know. I mean, like I said, I drive for AJ Foyt. For us, I mean, our focus is to win the 500. Nothing’s changed for us. Seriously, nothing’s changed under our roof. Yeah, no, we still operate at two totally different teams in that respect. Like I said, it’s a bummer to see that happen. I think those are all fantastic people that have worked really hard to get to where they are today. It’s sad to see that happen in today’s world of motorsports.Yeah, no, that’s all I got. Q. Rookie on pole who has never been on pole in an INDYCAR race, let alone an oval. How do you navigate the start? SANTINO FERRUCCI: Pretty cool. I’m not going to lie, it’s pretty cool. You have a brand-new team, a driver that I’ve raced with growing up in Europe. So I’ve known him a long time. All in all, something of history. Cool to see. Not just as a competitor, but as a fan of this beautiful race. Now, I think does he trust his spotters? I hope so. Next to him you have probably one of the most talented people around this place starting it off, too. Then Pato, as well, who has done amazing here. I think, yeah, it’s going to be entertaining. Q. Santino, third year for you driving for AJ Foyt. Is there any extra pressure on you to perform well here? SANTINO FERRUCCI: Yeah, I mean, A.J. has won it four. He won it once as a team owner as well. I would love to give him his sixth 500 win. Obviously it’s been a few years since the team has won. I brought them back a pole last year. I’ve come very close to winning this event in ’23 with them. I feel really confident in our abilities this year. I think this is going to be one of better shots I’ve had at it, too. It’s all about maximizing on race day. Driving and spending time with A.J. in the pits is unbelievable. You can’t even put into words what it’s like to just sit in the garage with him, especially during one of the days like Monday to where you have a lot of time on your hands before you go out for two hours of practice. Him telling stories back in the day, talking about the car, explaining to him the feeling of what I have, what we were doing in engineering, hearing his opinions and thoughts. It’s almost crazy to think that someone, when A.J. drove, he only retired in the early ’90s, that his car, what he would do with the setup, to what we’re doing in engineering really lines up pretty well. It’s pretty spectacular. It’s just a joy to be around him, and try to cherish all those moments while I can. THE MODERATOR: Do you have a favorite A.J. story? SANTINO FERRUCCI: Not one that I’d like to share. THE MODERATOR: We asked Malukas the same thing… GRAHAM RAHAL: No stories (laughter). SANTINO FERRUCCI: They’re all in the book. If you want to hear about the stories, read the book. I’m telling you, read the book. |
