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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.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
'Best day of my life': Irish teen Alex Dunne shines on F1 practice debut for McLaren
McLaren driver Alexander Dunne of Ireland, centre, walks through the paddock at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, in Spielberg, Austria, Thursday, June 26, 2025, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) Mclaren driver Alex Dunne of Ireland leaves the pit lane during the first free practice at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix in Spielberg, Austria, Friday, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) Mclaren driver Alex Dunne of Ireland in action during the first free practice at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix in Spielberg, Austria, Friday, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos) Mclaren driver Alex Dunne of Ireland prepares for the first free practice at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix in Spielberg, Austria, Friday, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) Mclaren driver Alex Dunne of Ireland prepares for the first free practice at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix in Spielberg, Austria, Friday, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) McLaren driver Alexander Dunne of Ireland, centre, walks through the paddock at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, in Spielberg, Austria, Thursday, June 26, 2025, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) Mclaren driver Alex Dunne of Ireland leaves the pit lane during the first free practice at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix in Spielberg, Austria, Friday, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) Mclaren driver Alex Dunne of Ireland in action during the first free practice at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix in Spielberg, Austria, Friday, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos) Mclaren driver Alex Dunne of Ireland prepares for the first free practice at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix in Spielberg, Austria, Friday, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) SPIELBERG, Austria (AP) — Alex Dunne stepped into the cockpit of Lando Norris' McLaren as an up-and-coming driver without Formula 1 experience. He left it with proof he can keep up with the very best in F1. The 19-year-old driver from Ireland took over Norris' car for the first practice Friday ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix and was soon close to matching the pace of championship leader Oscar Piastri in the other McLaren. Advertisement 'This is definitely the best day of my life, so thank you everyone,' Dunne told the McLaren team over the radio. Dunne set the fourth-fastest time of anyone in the session, 0.224 of a second off George Russell's quickest lap, and was especially quick in the Austrian track's fastest corners. Dunne was .159 off the pace of defending champion Max Verstappen, .069 off Piastri, and .333 quicker than seven-time champ Lewis Hamilton. The 19-year-old Dunne has risen fast through the junior series and is the standings leader in Formula 2. Dunne became the first Irish driver to take part in a Grand Prix weekend for 22 years, since Ralph Firman raced one season for Jordan in 2003. Advertisement F1 teams are required to give young drivers an opportunity in four Friday practice sessions per year, but they usually need more time to adapt than Dunne did. Another F2 driver was behind the wheel Friday as Ferrari handed Charles Leclerc's car to Sweden's Dino Beganovic, who placed 18th. ___ AP auto racing:
The Independent
16 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
Lando Norris ready to forget Piastri crash
Lando Norris admitted to having "not the most joyful conversations" with McLaren following his collision with teammate Oscar Piastri in Canada. Norris accepted full responsibility for the incident, which resulted in his retirement from the race and left him 22 points off the title pace. He expressed feeling "very bad for the team" and described his actions as foolish, stating it was the last thing he wanted to happen. Despite the on-track incident, Norris confirmed that he and Piastri remain free to race each other, emphasising their continued trust and honesty. The team aims to maintain strong internal dynamics, avoiding the downfall seen in other teams, and ensuring fair but hard racing without a repeat of the Montreal collision.
BBC News
16 hours ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Austrian Grand Prix first practice
Update: Date: 12:12 BST Title: Dunne replaces Norris in FP1 Content: This is a big day for Alex Dunne. The 19-year-old has already been on Formula 2 duties this morning (he was quickest in practice) and now he's about to make his Formula 1 weekend debut when he takes the place of McLaren's Lando Norris for the opening hour in Austria. Rookie Dunne is leading the F2 championship in his first year after wins in Bahrain and Imola for Rodin Motorsport. Update: Date: 12:08 BST Title: Mercedes back up to second Content: Mercedes slipped to third place after the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this month but a double podium in Montreal has lifted them back up to second and above Ferrari, with 16 points separating the two teams. McLaren are still leading the way in the constructors' championship by 175 points. Aston Martin have also gained a place following a drop off in Barcelona. Fernando Alonso's six points in Canada means Aston are now eighth, just two points clear of Sauber in ninth. Update: Date: 12:04 BST Title: Piastri leads the way Content: Oscar Piastri didn't make the podium in Canada ( he came fourth) but with his team-mate Lando Norris walking away empty handed from round 10, the Australian's lead over the Briton at the top of the drivers' championship is now 22 points. Max Verstappen was runner-up to George Russell in Montreal and while he stays in third place in the standings, the gap between himself and Norris is only 21 points. Esteban Ocon collected two points for his tally in Montreal, lifting him above Racing Bulls Isack Hadjar by one point and into ninth place. Update: Date: 12:00 BST Title: Round 11: Austria Content: Lorraine McKennaBBC Sport Journalist Hello, folks. We're camped in Europe now until the summer break (and for a couple races after), with the opening stop on the jam-packed tour being the Austrian Grand Prix. First practice gets under way at 12:30 BST. Second practice goes green at 16:00 BST. Canada last time out was a Mercedes weekend, with George Russell taking victory from pole position while third-placed Kimi Antonelli, at 18 years and 294 days, became the third-youngest driver to achieve an F1 podium, behind Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll. But the main talking point was the collision between team-mates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris as the pair fought for fourth place. This wasn't a fiery coming together: Norris held his hands up straight away and acknowledged he misjudged the late overtake. What will Austria bring the McLaren pair, and the rest of the grid, this weekend? Let's find out...
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Max Verstappen heads into Red Bull's home race with upgrades and growing uncertainty
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, centre, arrives at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, in Spielberg, Austria, Thursday, June 26, 2025, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos) Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands attends a news conference at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, in Spielberg, Austria, Thursday, June 26, 2025, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos) Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands attends a news conference at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, in Spielberg, Austria, Thursday, June 26, 2025, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos) Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands attends a news conference at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, in Spielberg, Austria, Thursday, June 26, 2025, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos) Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, centre, arrives at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, in Spielberg, Austria, Thursday, June 26, 2025, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos) Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands attends a news conference at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, in Spielberg, Austria, Thursday, June 26, 2025, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos) Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands attends a news conference at the Red Bull Ring racetrack, in Spielberg, Austria, Thursday, June 26, 2025, ahead of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos) Max Verstappen at the Red Bull Ring is usually a recipe for success. The defending Formula 1 champion has an upgraded car for his team's home race in Austria — where he's won five times — on the back of an encouraging second place in Canada, where his two McLaren rivals collided. Advertisement Zoom out, though, and the situation is much more uncertain. Verstappen remains at risk of a one-race ban for too many penalty points, Red Bull teammate Yuki Tsunoda is usually too far adrift to help him, and Verstappen's own future is far from clear. "I don't think we need to talk about that,' Verstappen said Thursday when asked to confirm whether he'll stay with the team for 2026. 'It's not really in my mind. It's just driving and trying to push the performance, you know. And then we focus on next year.' What are Verstappen's options? Verstappen has a long-term contract through 2028, so in theory his Red Bull seat should be one of the safest on the grid. However, the deal has performance-related clauses which could reportedly allow a move. Advertisement In that case, the most obvious option could be Mercedes, which has yet to confirm either driver for 2026. That would mean Verstappen teaming up with an old foe in Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who'd also have to choose to drop either George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. Dramatic changes to how F1 cars look and perform are coming in 2026, and Red Bull has to adapt more than most. For the first time in nearly two decades, it heads into a new era of F1 rules without design guru Adrian Newey, who left last year and is now at Aston Martin. The other leading teams are sticking with their current engine arrangements, but not Red Bull. The team has an in-house engine developer, Red Bull Powertrains, but it's switching partners for 2026 from Honda to newcomer Ford. Advertisement The second seat No team in F1 depends as much on one driver as Red Bull does on Verstappen. He's scored 155 of the team's 162 points this season. His teammates — first Liam Lawson, then Yuki Tsunoda — have struggled all season. That's helped to restore the reputation of Sergio Perez, who was dropped by Red Bull after scoring barely one-third of Verstappen's points last season. 'I know, deep down, they really regret it,' Perez said on a podcast this week. 'And I know that from a very reliable source. It's tough. I have very good friends there, and people might think I take pleasure in what happened, but no.' Advertisement Red Bull's car seems to favor Verstappen's driving style over anyone else's, but the Dutch driver says he can't diagnose the issue because he's been with the team since 2016 and has nothing else to compare it with. 'The thing is that I don't know any better, right?' he said Thursday. 'I mean, I've basically started with Red bull, so I only know one car and that's how I drive. I adapt to it. Is it the best? Is it the fastest? Is it not? I don't know." ___ AP Sports Writer Tales Azzoni in Madrid contributed to this report. ___ AP auto racing:
