Santino Ferrucci of AJ Foyt Racing achieved a remarkable second-place finish at the 2025 IndyCar Detroit Grand Prix after beginning the race outside the top 20. The American driver’s career-best IndyCar Detroit podium came after a tough qualifying session and a strategic race on the challenging 1.6-mile street circuit, leaving him visibly emotional in the aftermath.

With over seven years competing in IndyCar both full-time and part-time, Ferrucci had previously recorded multiple fourth-place results and one podium finish, a third place at the 2023 Indy 500. His performance at the Detroit GP marked a significant personal milestone as he climbed from 21st on the grid to secure the runner-up position.

Ferrucci’s approach differed from many front-runners when he chose to start on hard primary tires, a decision that played a crucial role in his charge through the field. A combination of sharp strategic calls from AJ Foyt Racing and well-timed race cautions aided his ascent. Despite battling tire performance issues during the latter stages, Ferrucci’s determination remained clear.

Santino Ferrucci reflects on overcoming struggles for breakthrough result

Speaking after the race, Ferrucci expressed heartfelt gratitude and mixed emotions regarding his performance on race day. He shared his internal challenges during qualifying and praised his team’s pit stops and strategy that helped turn his race around.

“First off, huge, huge shout out to this whole team. I mean, we were struggling in qualifying. I struggled. I made a lot of mistakes. I was really hard on myself yesterday because I felt like it was all on me.” —Santino Ferrucci, AJ Foyt Racing driver

“Pit stops were phenomenal. The stand was amazing. I mean, perfect strategy. I just got lucky with that yellow and, man, I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to see a red flag because I was really struggling. I don’t know what I did with the tires, but I couldn’t get them to come back to life. But, man, Kyle was so fast today, so congratulations to him and his team on this win, and man I’m just happy to bring Chevrolet on the podium.” —Santino Ferrucci, AJ Foyt Racing driver

Kyle Kirkwood, representing Andretti Global, entered the race as the favorite along with fellow contender Alex Palou. Kirkwood managed near-perfect restarts and dominated the majority of the race, ultimately claiming the win. Meanwhile, Ferrucci’s resilience ensured he was a key figure in the final stages.

Key moments in the final laps that shaped Ferrucci’s career-best finish

Following the race’s final pit stops, Ferrucci found himself among the leading group alongside Kyle Kirkwood, Colton Herta, and Will Power. With about 15 laps remaining, a crash involving Louis Foster and Felix Rosenqvist triggered a red flag, sending the field back to the pits to address debris.

When the race resumed with 12 laps left, Ferrucci was positioned third, trailing Power and Kirkwood. Seizing an opportunity, he overtook Will Power, who was forced to brush the wall while attempting to challenge Kirkwood’s lead. Despite closing the gap, Ferrucci was unable to catch Kirkwood, finishing just behind him in second place.

This strong finish marked a turning point in Ferrucci’s IndyCar career, demonstrating his growing ability to contend with the series’ top drivers despite a difficult start to the race. His performance was a testament to both his driving skill and the strategic expertise of AJ Foyt Racing, while also securing valuable points for Chevrolet.

The Detroit Grand Prix result may herald a new chapter for Santino Ferrucci, as he looks to build on this momentum in the remainder of the IndyCar season. With several competitive events still ahead, observers will be keen to see if Ferrucci can maintain this level of performance and challenge for more podium finishes.