The American driver returns to the grid after two partial years and substitutions, teaming up at the wheel of the #14 with rookie Benjamin Pedersen and with the personal approval of AJ Foyt. Dalton Kellett is still in the list to occupy a third car.
The team A. J. Foyt Racing The 2022 IndyCar season began with three cars, the most dominant Indy Lights champion in history, and high expectations. However, he finished the year with only two cars, thirteen retirements in total and the worst season in its history in statistical terms, with only one top 10 in their pocket and occupying the last two places in the general classification, which has deprived them of up to 2.5 million dollars in financing from the championship. Hoping to reverse this situation, Foyt has completely changed his lineup, and Santino Ferrucci will be its spearhead in 2023.
The 24-year-old American pilot was confirmed this Thursday as the pilot of the legendary car #14, usually reserved for the star of the team, and which usually requires much less sponsorship from its occupant. He replaces Kyle Kirkwood in this role, who was announced last June as a new member of Andretti Autosport to cover the departure of Alexander Rossi. Ferrucci will share training with Benjamin Pedersenfifth last season in Indy Lights, and who will make his IndyCar debut after being confirmed by Foyt a week ago.
Dalton Kellett is still in negotiations to occupy a third car if the financing accompanies
This may not be the last announcement from Foyt, who are in the process of lining up a third vehicle in whole or in part if an agreement is reached with the Canadian. Dalton Kellett, driver of #4 the last two years. Initially, Pedersen had not been assigned a number due to the possibility that he would drive the #14, as the team was still negotiating the feasibility of the deal with Ferrucci. If Kellett puts up enough funding to renew with Foyt, Pedersen will most likely wear the number #11which Tatiana Calderón led this year in the first nine races until the team’s sponsor was unable to make the payments.
With this signing, Ferrucci puts an end to two years in the shadows after his departure from Dale Coyne Racing. With this team he debuted in four races in the 2018 season before competing full time in 2019 and 2020, finishing both years in 13th place overall with a fourth place as best result on four separate occasionsall of them in oval races and one in an Indy 500. In 2021 he contested five tests in the third Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing car that he aspired to occupy full time, and in which he achieved four top 10 finishes, but Christian Lundgaard and Jack Harvey vacancies ended up becoming available.
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Ferrucci, the ‘super-sub’ of IndyCar in 2022
In this 2022, in addition to extending with Dreyer & Reinbold his full top 10 in the Indianapolis 500, Ferrucci has been a recurring emergency substitute, taking Jack Harvey’s car in the 375 miles of Texas, as well as Callum Ilott’s in Detroit for Juncos Hollinger Racing. Likewise, he was placed on reserve in the second race of the Indy GP by Team Penske himself in the possible absence of Josef Newgarden, who finally managed to recover from his blackout in Iowa in time to race.
During these two years, the former Formula 2 driver has combined these cameos in IndyCar with his first steps in NASCAR, competing in the secondary Xfinity Series as a driver affiliated with Toyota. Initially, he signed a 20-race program for 2021, but ended up only contesting seven, and this year he returned for two more events. Despite practically no previous experience in stock cars, Ferrucci managed to finish six times in the top 20with his best overall finish being a 13th place finish at the Las Vegas Oval in his second race.
Ferrucci last competed on July 30, at the NASCAR Xfinity test at the Indianapolis GP version.
His attitude an asset to the fiery AJ Foyt
In turn, Ferrucci also competed in 2021 in the mythical chili bowl, a colossal indoor midget event that brings together the best dirt oval drivers in the country, as well as several guests from other disciplines. Based on Foyt’s split approach to preparation, with one base in Indianapolis and one in Texas, Ferrucci’s car will be prepared at the Texas facility, frequented by founder AJ Foyt. Despite the fact that his son, Larry, has been in charge of managing the team since 2006, he consulted his father about the signing, something that apparently received a very positive response from the seven-time IndyCar champion.
In all these years, Ferrucci has not been able to shake off the sanbenito de controversial pilot with whom he came from Europe, after the incidents on and off the track that cost him his F2 seat in 2018. In fact, he has earned several enemies among the rest of the IndyCar competitors for his assertive attitude in both aspects. Still, that attitude and skills seem to fit well with old Foyt, a master of the ovals with four Indy 500s under his belt who he was always characterized by being very temperamental outside the vehicleeither as a driver or as a team leader. Perhaps Ferrucci’s flame is the one that allows him to celebrate a victory for the first time since 2013.
Photos: IndyCar Media