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Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
See how crashes and on-track incidents defined the 2025 Toronto Indy
Running around the challenging 1.786-mile Exhibition Place street circuit, the IndyCar field saw a race filled with attrition and strategy-shifting cautions in the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto. It didn't even take to the green flag for the weekend to claim its first victim. Santino Ferrucci's No. 14 Chevrolet (above) snapped loose during the morning warmup and sent him into the turn 7 wall, knocking the AJ Foyt Racing star out without enough time for his team to repair the car. That would prove to be an omen for the race itself. Just two circuits into the 90-lap event, Scott McLaughlin was one of a handful of drivers to pit and get off the struggling alternative tire for the race. But what began as a promising strategy devolved in an instant when he lost a wheel on his up-to-speed lap with primary tires. 'The wheel nut came off,' a disappointed McLaughlin said while watching the replay. 'It's frustrating. We're all in this together. It's hard right now.' Ed Carpenter Racing teammates Christian Rasmussen and Alexander Rossi were the next ones to face misfortune. Rasmussen was first up, getting the worst of contact with Will Power before sliding into the outside wall and spinning around with a broken front wing and flat right-rear tire. Despite falling two laps down, Rasmussen continued on and salvaged a top-20 finish with the attrition in Sunday's race. Rossi was less fortunate. The 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner was caught by surprise when what seemed like slight contact with the outside wall completely destroyed his car. The Californian had the smallest mistake of the day, but he did so at the wrong place. A small jut in the wall exacerbated what could otherwise have been a minimal shunt. 'It wasn't really even a snap, I just kind of tracked out a little too wide and destroyed the rear of the car,' Rossi said afterward. 'I'm still trying to process it, because I've never seen that amount of damage (with that little contact. … Literally the suspension is cut and the gearbox is pulled apart.' 'I'm pretty speechless with the penalty for the transgression,' he later added. The chaos only ramped up from there. Onlookers had just come to terms with Rossi's crash when a restart pileup took out another Indy 500 winner. Jacob Abel was caught on the outside of an opportunistic Louis Foster pass when he appeared to misjudge the corner and turn into Foster's No. 45 Honda. That sent a slowed Abel up the track and into Josef Newgarden, triggering a crash that would end with Abel's No. 51 Honda atop Newgarden's No. 2 Chevrolet and both drivers out of the race. Devlin DeFrancesco spun behind the pair and ended up just one spot ahead of them at race's end. Here's the entirety of Newgarden's post-race interview: 'Wrong place, wrong time.' Abel, Newgarden, Rossi, McLaughlin and Ferrucci were all out of the race in the opening 36 laps, slotting 23rd through 27th. DeFrancesco ended up just ahead of them in 22nd, with Foster forced to pit road by additional contact later on that relegated him to 21st. Others saw additional turmoil, but continued on for lead-lap finishes. Power ended up against the outside wall after a restart scrap with race winner Pato O'Ward, but backed up and rebounded to 11th. Kyle Kirkwood hoped to continue a recent surge of street circuit dominance, but wound up sixth after his day was derailed by a pit road spin at the hands of Marcus Armstrong. Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing Of those that avoided contact, the frequent cautions still served as a significant shakeup for the race. They allowed O'Ward and others that stopped early to get off alternate tires the chance to leap ahead of the field and battle for the win in primary tires, with most three-stopping the event while Rinus VeeKay and Kyffin Simpson rode a two-stop strategy to podium finishes. Between all the accidents, the opening half of the race saw five drivers out of the race and only 19 of 27 remaining on the lead lap. The event's second half nearly played out without another caution, but finally saw the field slowed again when Felix Rosenqvist lost the rear of his No. 60 Honda and collected Nolan Siegel with three to go. By then, the race had already been decided up front - and the damage had already been done to those caught out by the early attrition. Read Also: Pato O'Ward, Arrow McLaren score strategic win in Indy Toronto To read more articles visit our website.
Fox News
20-07-2025
- Automotive
- Fox News
Santino Ferrucci Out For Toronto After Morning Crash Damages Car Beyond Repair
TORONTO — Santino Ferrucci will miss the INDYCAR race today at Toronto, as a hard crash in the morning warm-up damaged the car beyond repair. With only three hours between the end of the warm-up and the start of the race, the A.J. Foyt Racing team did not have time to adequately repair the car or get the spare car ready to race. Ferrucci was icing his hand after the accident, but the team indicated it was not broken and Ferrucci said he would be OK. The accident occurred in the last few minutes of the 25-minute morning warm-up. Ferrucci said it was purely driver error, as he had not disengaged the hybrid power boost and was on the primary (harder) tires, which meant more power going into Turn 8. The rear of the car swung around and he slapped the outside wall hard. "Mistake," Ferrucci said. "I'm struggling obviously with the car. It was wet [from rain earlier] in that corner and I had been lifting and just out of habit, I'd been pulling the hybrid and I forgot to turn the hybrid off. ... I just lost the rear [of the car]. "It was a little bit of the boost in the power, it was just enough [and] we were also on the prime tire instead of the [softer] alternate just to get a read. Just a driving error. I feel pretty bad about that." Ferrucci was 10th in the series standings but had struggled this weekend on the Toronto streets. He was slated to start 23rd. Ferrucci will be awarded three points (instead of five for last place) for qualifying for the race but not starting. "The damage sustained to the car requires extensive repairs that cannot be completed to the standard of safety and performance necessary to race," the team said in a statement. "While this is a difficult decision for the team, the safety of our driver and our crew remains our top priority." Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
Indianapolis Star
20-07-2025
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
'Hard for us to get out there.' Santino Ferrucci won't run IndyCar race at Toronto after crash
TORONTO — Following a major crash in Sunday morning's warmup session that came just over three hours from IndyCar's scheduled green flag for its race on the streets of Toronto, AJ Foyt Racing has elected not run its No. 14 Chevy entry of Santino Ferrucci, the team announced. Team president Larry Foyt told IndyStar that there may have been a small hope to prepare the backup No. 14 chassis into a raceable condition, but it would've been a stretch, given the time constraints, and combined with Ferrucci nursing a banged right hand he was seen icing around the team transporters, Foyt ultimately decided it to be unwise to roll the dice. Foyt noted that Ferrucci had been cleared to drive, with X-rays on his hand negative, but the primary car was too damaged to be repaired, necessitating moving to a backup car and a lengthier preparation process after Ferrucci slid thorugh the exit of Turn 7, first slamming the whole left side of the car into the wall, before skidding and turning to make right-side impact near Turn 8 before the car came to a stop. In an interview with Fox Sports, Ferrucci deemed the crash "driver error," an instance of forgetting to turn the hybrid system off and therefore carrying too much speed into the corner to be able to stop before slamming into the concrete wall. "Sure, could we get a car out there? Possibly, but I don't want to push (Ferrucci) either," Foyt told IndyStar. "I'd rather just focus on (next Sunday's race at Laguna Seca). It would be hard for us to get out there anyways. That car was really heavily damaged. We have the backup car here, obviously, but it's just a quick turn between warmup and the race. "(The impact) definitely got into the crash structure and the tub, which is a lengthy thing, so you'd be going to a backup car, and we'd still have to diagnose the engine, so there was still a lot of things that would have to happen if we were going to try and push out in an hour or so. It's a tough decision, because we all come here to race, but I think just for the team and our situation right now, we've already got a quick turnaround to go to Laguna, and we think we can do well there, so we'll let Santino rest up and let the guys take their time getting the backup car prepared and move on." Entering this race weekend, Ferrucci sat tied for 10th in the championship with teammate David Malukas, aiming to follow up his ninth-place points performance a year ago with another top 10 at the end of the 17-race season. After a run of four consecutive top 5s in May and June, including a pair of podium finishes in the Indy 500 and Road America, Ferrucci and the No. 14 crew had ridden a bit of a roller coaster of late with a best finish of eighth at the Iowa doubleheader sandwiched by results of 16th (Mid-Ohio) and 15th (Iowa Race No. 2). Live updates: IndyCar Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Toronto leaderboard, crashes, starting lineup, time At the moment, Christian Rasmussen, who sits 15th in the championship, enters Sunday's race 30 points back of Ferrucci, meaning the veteran driver will almost certainly drop at least a couple spots in the standings before he rolls up to Laguna Seca for practice Friday. "This is a pretty big blow, but we think these last four races are still really strong for us and for (Ferrucci), and we're not going to give up on trying to get back into the top 10," Foyt said. "It's racing, and things happen. It's part of it. "I don't know why Toronto doesn't like the No. 14 car. That's two years in a row that we've had a big one here. It's unfortunate, and I know (Ferrucci) and the team feels bad, but we'll be back next week." Count Foyt among the camp that would love to see IndyCar schedule its pre-race warmups for a couple hours after qualifying late on Saturday afternoon, rather than Sunday morning just a couple hours before the race, in hopes of avoiding a situation such as Sunday's, where a serious crash ultimately will keep a team from racing altogether. "For sure for the smaller teams, if you had a little extra time, no doubt (that would be helpful)," Foyt said. "These warmups are always nerve-racking, especially at a street course where you have concrete everywhere and you could have an accident like this. It's a tough turnaround for a small team, no doubt."
Forbes
20-07-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
IndyCar's Santino Ferrucci Won't Race In Toronto After Crash In Warmup
Crewmembers from AJ Foyt Racing go over the damage on Santino Ferrucci's No. 14 Chevrolet on July 20 ... More at Toronto's Exhibition Place. TORONTO – IndyCar Series driver Santino Ferrucci crashed in Sunday Morning Warmup at Toronto's Exhibition Place and damaged his No. 14 Chevrolet so bad, it won't be able to compete in Sunday's Ontario Honda Dealers Indy 200. Ferrucci crashed in Turn 8 with 3 minutes left in the session after setting the third-fastest time in the warmup. Ferrucci also injured his wrist from the impact and according to AJ Foyt Racing spokesperson Anne Fornoro, it is not fractured, but he wrist is swollen. Ferrucci was checked and released from INDYCAR Medical and was seen in the team's paddock area talking to team president Larry Foyt while holding an ice bag to his wrist. According to Ferrucci, the Hybrid assist was engaged when he entered the turn and with the Firestone Black primary tire, it carried too much speed into Turn 8. Ferrucci was on a hot streak entering Sunday's race but will be forced to sit this one out because of the damage to the car and not enough time to repair it. Ferrucci Car Totaled AJ Foyt Racing President Larry Foyt revealed Ferrucci was cleared to drive in Sunday's Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto, but the No. 14 Chevrolet was 'totaled' in the crash in Turn 8 that ended Sunday morning warmup. Ferrucci sustained an injured right wrist but did not suffer a fracture. The car, however, didn't fare as well. 'His hand took a pretty good hit in the cockpit,' Foyt said. 'The X -rays were negative. He was cleared to drive, but sure, could we get a car out there? Possibly. But I don't want to push him either. I'd rather get focused on Laguna. Larry Foyt (Photo by Michael L. Levitt/Lumen via Getty Images) 'It would have been hard for us to get out there anyway. That car was really heavily damaged. The backup car here obviously and it's a quick turn between this warm -up and the race. 'That car is not repairable for today.' Ferrucci entered the weekend 10th in the championship, with 237 points. Teammate David Malukas also has 237 points, but Ferrucci gets the position based on tiebreaker. 'It is a bummer because fighting for a top 10 in the championship, this is a pretty big blow, but we just, we feel like the last four races are still really strong for us and for him,' Foyt said. 'We are not going to give up on trying to get back in the top 10. 'This is racing, and things happen and it's, it's part of it. It's fortunate. It's a hard part. I don't know why Toronto seems like doesn't like the 14 car. Two years in a row we've had a big one here, but just unfortunate. It happens. I know he feels bad. The team feels bad but we'll, we'll be back next week.' Next weekend's race is in Monterey, California and Foyt believed it was better to properly prepare the backup car for that race instead of a rush job in a limited period of time to compete at Toronto. 'It's probably easier to say what isn't damaged,' Foyt said of the car. 'It got into the crash structure of the tub, which is a lengthy thing, so you'd be going to a backup car no matter what at that point. And there's still, diagnosing the engine and all those things. 'There were still a lot of things that that had to happen if we were going to try to get out to push out, which is in an hour. So, it's a tough decision because we all come here to race. 'I think for the team, for our situation right now, just getting ready, we have a quick turn to go to Laguna, and we need to do well there. So let Santino rest up, let the guys take their time, get the backup car prepared and go there.' To complicate matters, IndyCar is currently in race No. 4 of a five races in four weekend stretch that began on July 6 at Mid-Ohio, continued with a doubleheader last weekend at Iowa Speedway, moved to Toronto and concludes in California next week. Foyt admitted that was another factor in waiting to put Ferrucci back in another car on Sunday. 'Especially a big one like that where it's pretty much totaled that's a tough one to rebound from given the quick turnaround,' Foyt said. Santino Ferrucci
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- 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.
