Ferrucci insists Foyt are “way further ahead than we've ever been” for the 2026 season
- Evan Roberts
- 1 hour ago
- 5 min read
Written by Evan Roberts, Edited by Rohan Brown
2025 was a confusing campaign for Santino Ferrucci. On one hand, he secured two podiums at Detroit and Road America; the most for AJ Foyt Enterprises for over a decade since Takuma Sato back in 2013. On the other, he scored almost 100 less points than the year prior and was beaten by his teammate David Malukas who was eventually poached by Team Penske.
Inconsistency was the bottom line for Ferrucci as other than a string of races where he had four consecutive top five finishes, he would manage only one more finish in the top 10.
It was unlike the Ferrucci we had seen over the past few years as his poor run of form saw him drop from within the top 10 of the Drivers Standings, all the way down to 15th.
But he is still optimistic on the season ahead, as he has declared he and his team are feeling the most prepared they have ever been for what is the longest season we've seen in over a decade:
“I think we're way further ahead than we've ever been as a team.”
Where his team may be ready, the American opened up on some of the inconsistencies within his driving last season. Taking accountability for his mistakes; which included a crash during the warm up session in Toronto.
“I think some of the inconsistencies are kind of more on my side of things than anything else” Ferrucci admitted. “The team really straightened everything out come the 500 to the end of the season.
“I kind of made some enforced errors in a couple of races, which kind of put us on a back foot”.
Speaking of the Indianapolis 500, over the past few years it has been a place he has been strong. A podium 2023 followed by a strong running in 2024 meant big things were expected for last season.
Although fifth is nothing to be ashamed about, Ferrucci had expected better from himself and in reflection was the second best driver for Foyt having been outshone by teammate Malukas throughout the month of May.
“This year was really tough at the speedway.” Said Ferrucci.
A big deal within the team is the acquisition of IndyNXT Vice-Champion Caio Collet. In his two years within IndyCar’s highest step on the ‘Road to Indy’, the Brazilian claimed four wins and a further 11 podiums to cement himself as one of the brightest young stars in the States.
In his now fourth consecutive year with Foyt - the most of any team he has driven for - Collet will be the second rookie Ferrucci has been paired with. The first being Benjamin Pedersen. This time however there appears to be less drama and a more seamless transition within the team.
“Honestly, I really like him. He's been much easier to deal with, in my opinion, than some of the past rookies I've had. Just very straightforward, easy.” Said Ferrucci.
The two have become accustomed through a series of tests in Nashville, a test by which the two discovered some similarities in driving style with Ferrucci giving his new teammate a glowing report.
“Caio I think will also be really competitive, being two years in INDY NXT. He did really well in the championship.
“I think having him come in and testing with him in Nashville, I felt really comfortable around him and talking with him and debriefing. He's more similar to me than the past few teammates I've had. So that will be a lot of fun, I think, this season.”
A fresh outlook to the start of the year- with his surrounding team staying largely the same- Ferrucci has been left in an optimistic mood for the upcoming season as he cited the constant engineering overhaul as the biggest takeaway from why last year was so tough-at-times.
“I think we had crew changes last year, with engineering changes last year, everything staying the same from the middle of the '25 season going through the '26 season will be a big step forward for us.
“Car prep is a big thing. Indy we missed a couple of things, so we're very much ahead of that, and just overall consistency with the team. Having a good teammate again, there's just a lot of things that are going to make this year a little bit less stressful and easier for everybody.”
Media day talk for Ferrucci was much about momentum. If he were to maintain the consistency that saw him place in the top 10 in the 2024 Drivers Championship whilst maintaining some of the peaks where he managed four consecutive Top-Fives then that is a serious force to be reckoned with. Something Ferrucci himself agreed with.
“There's no reason as to why you can't sit there and continue to fight to be in the top 5 of this championship, given the consistency and the prep that we're at and the team this winter.
“I think the odds for us to win the 500 for our car are higher than they've ever been. There's a lot of big things going into this year, a lot of momentum that I'm very excited about.”
Much has already been said on the announcement of the controversial Freedom 250 in downtown Washington DC.
Ferrucci, who will be bearing the stars and stripes livery for the whole 2026 season. Having adorned it on his 2025 Indianapolis 500 challenger, he will now be showcasing it at the country's capital. Something that has openly excited the patriotic American.
“I thought it was really cool… to be able to race in the capital would be an awesome gift to the series and to the calendar. Supporting our veterans and all of our law enforcement, all of those people, and getting that opportunity would be really big.”
Before then, the circus will head to a returning track in Phoenix which last hosted an IndyCar race back in 2018.
Billed as the “Indianapolis of the West” back when it opened in 1964, the mile-long oval will serve as the second stop on the calendar and the only chance for drivers to step foot on an oval before the Indianapolis 500.
“Yeah, I think just having an oval before the 500 is a good thing for us, to kind of get out there and get going,” Ferrucci said.
“I think Phoenix is quite an interesting track. I'm looking forward to being there. I've only ever run it in a stock car, so it'll be quite an adjustment going to an INDYCAR. But I'm looking forward to that.”
His stock car stint is something he may be able to lean on for support during the season opener in St Pete as for the first time the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will take to a street course.
With their race occurring before the main event, it is likely they will change the track conditions with extra rubber being laid down. It's difficult to gauge just how much, but his stint in stock car racing will only help his case when the flag drops and the season starts in less than a month's time.
“I don't think any of us know what's going to happen. The rubber from the Truck Series will be interesting when it goes down for our cars. Normally they do a good job of laying down rubber. Either it's going to really grip the track up or it's going to do the opposite,
“But what I'm hoping for is that the Truck Series puts some rubber down on the airstrip for us so the brake zone isn't quite as tricky.”
When asked if he is aiming for more moments like his notable beer-chugging podium celebration in Road America the American hastily responded; “Let's hope so.”
