Santino Ferrucci drives the famed, number 14 Indy car, for AJ Foyt Racing in the NTT IndyCar Series. At the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, we were fortunate to be invited into his race weekend inner sanctum – the transporter driver’s lounge, for an interesting interview where he fills us in on the Team Penske technical alliance, driving the new hybrid system, and a deep-dive into the Indianapolis 500 where he led the race and finished third in 2023. Enjoy!
NOTE: Ferrucci qualified sixth at the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 and go on to finish eighth. He would earn his first pole position later in the year with a run to the top spot in Portland. He’s re-signed with Foyt for 2025 and is certainly one to watch.
By Larry Mason
Copyright © 2025 Larry Mason
The AJ Foyt Racing Team transporter is having it’s awning set up in preparation for a weekend at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Soon, you’ll see this area as a garage with Indy cars getting worked on.
Pushing hard in a blur of speed, Ferrucci enters Turn 6 at Long Beach where the track switches from concrete to asphalt while simultaneously gaining elevation.
Switching from heavy braking to hard acceleration through Turn 9 at Long Beach, you can see Ferrucci’s front tire just lifting off the ground.
Staying just off of the raised curbing of Turn 10, Ferrucci and his engineers need to figure out the proper set up to minimize lap time. Is it better to have all four contact patches on the ground for extra grip, or fly across the curbs for a shorter distance?
Ferrucci is just entering the beautiful fountain area of the Long Beach circuit in his Sexton Properties, AJ Foyt Racing Indy car. With the flowers in full bloom, it looks like a Sunday drive in the park. Of course it is, however it’s high tension trying to work your way to the front!
As Ferrucci exits the fountain turn, his green alternate Firestone Guayule tires match with the green shrubs of the garden area.
Interview and photos Copyright © by Larry Mason (unless otherwise noted)