Latest news with #IndyCar
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Where does Santino Ferrucci see his first IndyCar win coming?
Santino Ferrucci is on a roll in the 2025 IndyCar season. The driver of the No. 14 A.J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet secured his second podium in three races and his fourth consecutive top-five finish last Sunday at Road America. It's the kind of run worth celebrating with a beer — as Ferrucci memorably did, catching a Miller Lite tossed by a fan from the grandstands at Turn 1. But, of course, he wants more. And not beers this time, but solid results in the IndyCar Series. Advertisement 'Oh, I'm still very thirsty to get more,' Ferrucci told 'It's really nice to have a string of top-fives like that: superspeedway, short oval, road course, street course. I think it just shows our overall strength and growth. So I'm definitely looking forward to the string of races in July.' 'This was definitely the goal from the beginning of the year. I think we just started off slower than we would have liked. But now that we've hit our stride, this is what I was expecting — especially based on how we finished the 2024 season.' Expectations were high heading into 2025, especially after Ferrucci finished ninth in last year's standings, closing the season with four straight top-10s, including two fourth-place finishes at Milwaukee and a sixth at Nashville Superspeedway. However, the start of this season was rough in terms of results, with an 11th at Long Beach being his best finish prior to the streak that began at the Indianapolis 500. Yet, according to the Connecticut native, the performance was there all along. Advertisement 'We were just a bit unlucky more than anything. The way the Indy GP went, and Barber — even Long Beach — we had pace at all three events. We just had a fuel issue at Barber, hit the wall at Long Beach, which wasn't great. And then at Indy GP, we didn't run any practice or warm-up. We literally just qualified and raced. We had a couple of mechanical issues that were completely out of our control.' Ferrucci confident that he will win Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises Only two drivers have won races so far in the 2025 IndyCar season — Alex Palou with six wins for Chip Ganassi Racing and Kyle Kirkwood with three for Andretti Global. That makes it look tough for others to break through, but Ferrucci believes he's close. Advertisement 'Yes, for sure,' he said when asked if a win feels near. 'I actually thought it was going to happen at Road America with the pace we had. But with the big fuel number we had to hit at the end, it wasn't exactly ideal.' With eight races in two months coming up, Ferrucci has a clear idea of where he sees the best chances to break through. 'I think all the ovals for sure, and then Portland and Laguna Seca. I think Mid-Ohio and Toronto are going to be pretty tough — those are both survival races. But I do like my pace and what we've been learning over the last two years there, so I'll remain hopeful for those as well.' Qualifying pace still a challenge, but not a worry Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises, Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises, Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing One might argue that Ferrucci needs to improve his qualifying performance to be a true contender. Every race winner in 2025 has started inside the top 10, and six of them from the top three. Ferrucci, however, doesn't seem too concerned about one-lap pace — and he may have a point. His recent hot streak includes starts from 15th, 21st, 19th, and 18th. Advertisement 'The funny thing is I'm not overly focused on it. I was really bummed with my performance at Road America — I drove really well, but we just missed something in the setup. Detroit was more on me, and same with Thermal.' 'Trying to find the limit over one lap is very difficult, as opposed to being perfectly consistent over a race distance, which I actually find easier. So, with the way the series is, I think the races have been really strong and we've been able to pass. So I've been more focused on getting the race cars right to win on Sunday.' Full focus on getting A.J. Foyt Racing back to Victory Lane Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises Santino Ferrucci, A. J. Foyt Enterprises Ferrucci signed a multi-year deal with A.J. Foyt Racing in September 2024 — just a month after his current teammate, David Malukas, joined the team following an opportunity at Arrow McLaren that didn't go as planned, and a partial season with Meyer Shank Racing. Advertisement Since Malukas signed with Foyt, rumors have swirled that the move could position him for a future seat at Team Penske if veteran Will Power, now in the final year of his contract, steps away. Malukas currently trails Ferrucci by ten points and three positions in the championship. When asked if he should also be considered for a top-tier ride, Ferrucci made it clear that his focus is solely on bringing success to A.J. Foyt Racing — which hasn't won a race in 12 years. 'I like to control what I can control. My focus is very much on what we're doing right now,' he said. 'What my teammate is up to is for him to answer — I don't really know how all of his stuff works. But you know, my goal at the end of the day is to deliver. I really want to bring A.J. and Larry their first win in a long time. I'm really happy where I'm at, and I'm very, very comfortable with my engineering lineup and everything else. So right now, my full focus is on my current program.' Advertisement Read Also: How a 'grumpy' Alex Palou ended up thankful for his winning strategy at Road America Winners and Losers from IndyCar's Road America weekend To read more articles visit our website.
USA Today
17 hours ago
- Automotive
- USA Today
How real is Brad Pitt's 'F1 The Movie' compared to actual Formula 1 racing?
Saying Formula 1 racing is the top expression of motorsport is sure to get an argument from fans of NASCAR and Indy Car, especially since F1 has made major inroads in U.S. popularity over the past few years. The glamour-meets-high-tech nature of this European-bred sport is precisely what the director and producers of 'F1 The Movie' are banking on as the Brad Pitt-driven film hits theater and IMAX screens June 27. 'Lewis Hamilton (legendary F1 racer and 'F1 The Movie' producer) said to me he'd never seen a movie that captures what it's like to be in the car, so that was the challenge,' says director Joseph Kosinski, who also steered Tom Cruise through his aerial paces in 'Top Gun: Maverick.' For those new to F1 the sport and curious about 'F1 The Movie,' we offer this primer. What is Formula 1? The various formulas for engine displacement and other technical aspects of single-seater (versus sports cars) European motor racing were determined long ago, with Formula 1 deemed the pinnacle of speed and technology. The very first race was held 75 years ago at Silverstone in England. Many top F1 racers start as kids in karting races, then graduate to Formula 3, then Formula 2, and finally, if they're talented and lucky enough, Formula 1. Where are Formula 1 races held? Currently, there are 24 races that unfold around the world, starting with Australia in March and wrapping in Abu Dhabi in December. Other host countries include Japan, Brazil, Italy, Belgium, the U.K. and the U.S., which now has races in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas. Why is Formula 1 being talked about so much in the U.S. right now? Formula 1 has a checkered past in the U.S., which at times held just one race and for a spell had none. But the current boom in interest is down to a range of reasons, including the popularity of Netflix's series 'Formula 1: Drive to Survive,' the ability of drivers to connect directly with fans through social media, and finally the sport being owned by an American company, Liberty Media. Do Brad Pitt and Damson Idris really drive F1 cars in 'F1 The Movie'? Yes, Pitt and Idris spent four months learning to drive real Formula 1 cars. 'If you see Brad's face, then it's him driving, and often at speeds up to around 180 mph,' says Kosinski. 'When they went into those turns at high speed, the G-forces on their bodies were insane.' How did the 'F1' movie get Brad Pitt's high-speed laps on camera? Instead of building a bulky camera car, Kosinski was advised by Mercedes F1 team leader and 'F1' producer Toto Wolff to have Mercedes build his crew real F1 cars that could have four small IMAX-quality cameras attached to the body. 'We took what we used on 'Top Gun,' and miniaturized them,' says Kosinski. Did 'F1 The Movie' really shoot during actual F1 races? Yes, F1 granted Kosinski permission to have his cast and crew set up during real F1 races, often giving them short windows between real practice laps to get their scenes shot. 'Sometimes that would become 5 minutes, and sometimes the window would vanish, so we had to be very light on our feet which made it exciting,' he says. Did all that racing fun make 'F1' director Joseph Kosinski want to race for real? Kosinski, who is a Porsche aficionado, says he loves spending time on a track, although he has only done so in sports cars and not open-wheel machines such as F1 cars. 'But I did get to hit the track with Lewis (Hamilton) giving me some instructions, and then I let him drive me around in a (Porsche) 911 GT3,' he says. 'To have the most winning F1 driver of all time show you what the real limit is is quite something.' Who's faster, Brad Pitt or speed junkie Tom Cruise? Kosinski has had the rare privilege of directing speed-demon movies with arguably the two biggest male stars on the planet, Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. 'There are more similarities between them than you might think, and both are phenomenally talented,' he says. 'There are also stories about when they both did 'Interview with a Vampire' (in 1994) and there were famous go-kart battles between the two of them. I think people would pay to see that showdown for sure.'
Forbes
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
IndyCar Legend Bobby Rahal Will Be Honored At Mid-Ohio IndyCar Race
Driver Bobby Rahal when he was honored before the 1998 CART Miller Lite 200 at Mid-Ohio with his ... More family, including young Graham Rahal (blue shirt in the middle). He will be honored once again on Sunday, July 6, 2025. Mandatory Credit: Robert Laberge /Allsport One of the legendary names in racing history at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Bobby Rahal, will be honored at the July 6 Honda Indy 500 at Mid-Ohio on the 40th anniversary of his first win at the historic track. Rahal is the 1985 and 1986 IndyCar race winner at the legendary Ohio track and will serve as the honorary grand marshal of The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the All-New 2026 Passport on Sunday, July 6. As grand marshal, Rahal will announce the most famous words in racing, "Drivers, start your engines" as well as participate in pre-race ceremonies for the 90-lap NTT IndyCar Series race at Mid-Ohio. The race will broadcast globally with live coverage nationally starting at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on FOX. Rahal's Ohio Roots Rahal was born in Medina, Ohio, and later a Dublin, Ohio, then New Albany, Ohio resident, Rahal's connection to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course runs deep and is long-standing. In addition to his two IndyCar wins at the track, the three-time IndyCar Series champion finished on the podium a remarkable eight of his 16 career starts on his home circuit including in his last two races in 1997 and 1998. Rahal has also won at Mid-Ohio as a team owner in 2015 with his son Graham Rahal taking the checkered flag at The Honda Indy 200 for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. The Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing shop was once located in nearby Hilliard, Ohio in the same building which formerly housed Truesports Racing. Rahal drove for Truesports when entering the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) series in 1982 and won the Indianapolis 500 with the Jim Trueman-owned team in 1986. The multiple motorsports hall of fame inductee is in a very select group of individuals who have won the Indianapolis 500 both as a driver and as an owner/entrant (2004 and 2020 as an owner). 'It's a great honor to be the grand marshal for The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. Mid-Ohio played an important role in my personal and professional life," Rahal said. "I went to the first ever race there with my father in 1962 and made annual trips there after that, sometimes twice a year. 'I got my first win at Mid-Ohio in my SCCA class in 1974, won both IROC races I competed in there, won the Lumberman's race and of course the two INDYCAR races in 1985 and 1986.' But Rahal's connection with Mid-Ohio was deeper at personal. The owner of Mid-Ohio was Jim Trueman, who was also Rahal's team owner. 'Being by (Jim) Trueman's side when he bought the track in 1980 and winning the IMSA race with him in 1983 as well as winning the IndyCar races there and seeing Graham win there in 2015 are some of my greatest memories at one of my favorite tracks,' Rahal said. 'It was a privilege to drive on such a great circuit all those years.' Bobby Rahal in 1982. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images) Additionally, Jun Jayaraman, senior vice president, Manufacturing Management Center of Honda Development & Manufacturing of America (HDMA), will be this year's honorary starter, waving the green flag to start the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race. Paul Dentinger, senior vice president, Purchasing & Supply Chain Center of HDMA, will be the trophy presenter to the podium finishers for post-race ceremonies. 'We are honored to celebrate Bobby Rahal's many racing accomplishments and his tremendous legacy at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course by naming him this year's grand marshal. He's a true motorsports icon from the Buckeye State,' said Craig Rust, president of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. 'Thank you to Paul Dentinger and Jun Jayaraman for also joining us to serve in these honorary positions. Mr. Jayaraman, Mr. Dentinger and the thousands of associates from the nearby manufacturing and R&D facilities joining us next weekend will make this another memorable Honda gathering.' The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the All-New 2026 Passport on July 4-6 marks the 42nd running of Ohio's biggest racing event. The NTT IndyCar Series headlines the weekend of nine races across five different racing series. The full development ladder of the sport's rising stars will be on display with INDY NXT by Firestone, USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire, USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire and USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire all competing on the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course. The event will also feature its annual off-track Fourth of July celebrations. On Saturday, July 5, campers are encouraged to decorate their sites in red, white and blue as part of the Camping with Honda tradition. Honda-powered NTT IndyCar Series drivers will begin to tour the campsites in the late afternoon after the IndyCar qualifying session, followed by a fireworks display just after dusk. The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a comprehensive motorsports facility in Lexington, Ohio, that includes 380 acres and features a permanent road-racing circuit with two primary race track configurations: 2.4-mile, 15-turn or 2.258-mile, 13-turn layout. It is located 60 miles north of Columbus and 75 miles south of Cleveland near Mansfield. The natural terrain road course is commonly referred to as the 'Most Competitive in the U.S.' and annually hosts a diversity of locally, regionally and nationally sanctioned race events for amateur, club and professional drivers and riders. It is also home to The Mid-Ohio School, featuring over 20 driving and riding courses, for teenagers to professional racers using Honda vehicles. Opened in 1962, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course has been owned and operated by Green Savoree Mid-Ohio, LLC since 2011, just the raceway's third private ownership group in its history. And Bobby Rahal will have reason to celebrate with his latest honor at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Graham Rahal in the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Indy car during the Honda Indy 200 on July 3, 2022 at ... More the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. Photo by Graham Stokes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Indianapolis Star
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
Thermal Club owner says IndyCar won't return to the track in 2026
IndyCar will not return to The Thermal Club in 2026, according to Tim Rogers, the owner and founder of the exclusive private neighborhood in southern California that houses miles and miles of natural-terrain road course. In a video posted to X on Wednesday, Rogers told Blake Arthur, a reporter for local TV station KESQ, that the major American open-wheel racing series would be absent from the track next year, but he held out hope for a 2027 return. "Their schedule is pretty well set (for 2026)," Rogers told KESQ. "And also, I need to make sure we get a title sponsor and be prepared ahead of time." When reached for comment and asked to confirm the news, a spokesperson for Penske Entertainment told IndyStar, "We don't have any new updates to share on our 2026 schedule at the moment." The loss of the The Thermal Club, which hosted a points-paying IndyCar race for the first time in March of this year and in 2024 hosted IndyCar's $1 Million Challenge exhibition event, is the latest signal of an announcement of the series' plans to add Mexico City to the 2026 schedule. In March, Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles told IndyStar that he "continues to be very bullish" regarding the opportunity for IndyCar to race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez -- the permanent Mexico City racetrack that has hosted annual stops for Formula 1 and Formula E, and which just a couple weeks ago hosted the NASCAR Cup series for the first time. The Penske Entertainment executive added that he believed "we'll get it done and can be racing there in 2026," in the wake of the fallout of IndyCar's perceived lack of momentum to capitalize on the fandom of its young Mexican superstar driver, Pato O'Ward, and the fallout within and outside the IndyCar paddock last August after the news of NASCAR beating IndyCar to the punch for a Mexico City race. According to the Associated Press, Miles wrote a letter last summer to the promoters of the track with proposed race dates for IndyCar at Mexico City for 2026-28, with April 12 listed as the primary choice for next year's potential race date. With the first couple stops on the IndyCar calendar in 2026 already ironed out -- St. Pete will kick off the season March 1, followed by the brand-new Arlington Grand Prix March 15, with the Grand Prix of Long Beach landing April 19 -- Mexico City's proposed landing spot would make for a four-week gap between the new race around the stadiums of the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers and IndyCar's first international race not held in Toronto in more than a decade. But paddock sources have told IndyStar it would be untenable for IndyCar to host a race either the weekend of Easter (April 5) or Palm Sunday (March 29), due to the country's widespread, devoted Catholic culture. Holding the new Mexico City race March 22 not only would butt it right up against Arlington -- not ideal for two new additions to the schedule the series would theoretically want to give space around in order to properly promote them -- but it would also overlap with IMSA's 12 Hours of Sebring, an endurance event several top IndyCar drivers typically target. Insider: 4 questions about 2026 IndyCar schedule begging for answers Without Thermal, the addition of Mexico City would likely be the only race between Arlington and Long Beach, which currently has four consecutive off weekends. Even with Mexico City, IndyCar would face three consecutive off weekends, barring the unforeseen addition of a spring track in 2026 -- a lengthy gap for a sport that for years has had a momentum-killing lack of spring races on the calendar in the lead-up to the Month of May. With the loss of Thermal, the planned addition of Arlington and expected one in Mexico City, IndyCar stands to drop another race or two among those with contracts expiring after this year, or host at least 18 races in 2026 -- a number the series hasn't seen since 2014 (18 races). Among races thought to be on the chopping block include one of the two on the Iowa Speedway weekend -- and event that since last year has lost its hook of multiple big-ticket concerts and still appears to be struggling to sell tickets -- as well as races at Portland International Raceway and Laguna Seca, both of which draw some of the smaller road course crowds on the calendar. Penske Entertainment executives have long held that teams prefer a 17-race schedule, but that an 18-race one could be set if the right opportunity for an additional race were to present itself.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Chase Burns' first career strikeout
Louis Foster on his first IndyCar pole after Road America XPEL Grand Prix qualifying The mustache may or may not have been the difference, but clean-shaven rookie Louis Foster will start first in Elkhart Lake. Hear his reaction. 1:18 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
