IndyCar Fines A.J. Foyt Racing $25K, Docks Santino Ferrucci 25 Points After Detroit

Santino Ferrucci's #14 AJ Foyt Racing car failed post-race inspection after the Detroit Grand Prix due to an underweight driver ballast, violating IndyCar's driver equivalency weight rules designed to equalize driver weight advantages. Despite the infraction, Ferrucci retained his career-best second-place finish as the car's total weight was 10 pounds above the minimum required, meaning no significant performance advantage was gained. The team was fined $25,000, lost 25 driver and entrant points, forfeited the bonus point for leading a lap, became ineligible for engine points for Chevrolet, and lost associated prize money. This penalty caused Ferrucci to drop from 10th to 14th or 15th in the championship standings, depending on reports. The incident adds to a recent pattern of technical violations in IndyCar, including previous penalties and organizational shakeups at Team Penske linked to illegal modifications and performance advantages. AJ Foyt Racing acknowledged the mistake, emphasizing no intention to circumvent rules, while IndyCar continues strict enforcement to ensure fair competition.