Santino Ferrucci Bio
Santino Michael Ferrucci (born May 31, 1998) is an American professional racing driver. He competes full-time in the IndyCar Series, driving the No. 14 Chevrolet for A. J. Foyt Enterprises. Ferrucci has built a versatile resume across open-wheel and stock car racing, including previous stints in the FIA Formula 2 Championship and the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Born and raised in the United States, Ferrucci developed through the European junior formula ladder before returning to American racing. His career has included IndyCar race wins, an Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year honor, and notable moments in NASCAR’s second-tier national series.
Early Life and Background
Santino Michael Ferrucci was born on May 31, 1998, in Woodbury, Connecticut. He is the son of Mike and Valerie Ferrucci. Growing up in a supportive family environment, he was drawn to motorsports at a young age and frequently traveled to compete at karting circuits across the Northeast and beyond.
Ferrucci’s racing hero during his formative years was seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher. The German driver’s career provided a clear template for Ferrucci’s own ambitions to climb through single-seater categories into the top levels of the sport. His Connecticut upbringing gave him access to regional karting events, which served as his first proving ground.
By his early teens, Ferrucci had advanced far enough in karting to attract international attention. That early progression laid the foundation for a move into car racing in Europe, where he would spend several seasons developing his craft against some of the most promising young drivers in the world.
Path to NASCAR
Ferrucci’s stock car experience was limited before he made the jump to NASCAR. In 2020, he completed a super late model test with Fury Race Cars, which gave him his first real taste of heavier, closed-cockpit racing. The following January, it was confirmed that Ferrucci would run a 20-race schedule in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, piloting the No. 26 Toyota Supra for Sam Hunt Racing.
The 2021 Xfinity Series campaign marked Ferrucci’s official arrival in NASCAR’s national series. He returned to the team’s No. 26 entry for Xfinity Series races at Pocono and the Indianapolis Road Course in 2022. Those appearances demonstrated his willingness to branch out from open-wheel racing and gave him exposure to ovals, road courses, and intermediate tracks common in stock car competition.
Santino Ferrucci Career
Early Career (2014-2017)
Ferrucci began his single-seater car racing career in Europe in 2014. He competed in five races in German Formula Three for EuroInternational, scoring a second-place finish in his fourth outing. He also completed three races in British Formula 3 for Fortec Motorsport, recording a pole position and two wins. Later that year, he closed out the European Formula 3 season with EuroInternational and reunited with Fortec for the prestigious Macau Grand Prix, where he finished eighth in the main race.
In early 2015, Ferrucci raced in the Toyota Racing Series for Giles Motorsport, finishing third overall and securing his only series win at Manfeild along with five additional podiums. He returned to European Formula 3 with Mücke Motorsport later that season, finishing eleventh overall and scoring his only Formula 3 podium at Spa-Francorchamps. Ferrucci also returned to the Macau Grand Prix and finished sixth in the main race.
IndyCar Breakthrough (2018-2020)
Ferrucci made his IndyCar Series debut in June 2018 at the Detroit Grand Prix with Dale Coyne Racing, substituting for Pietro Fittipaldi. His first outing ended early after being shunted out of the race by Charlie Kimball on lap 56. Later that year, after departing Formula 2, he contested the final two rounds of the IndyCar season with Dale Coyne Racing.
In 2019, Ferrucci signed with Coyne to contest the full IndyCar Series season driving the No. 19 Cly-Del Honda. He opened the year with a top-ten finish at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and added another at the Indianapolis Grand Prix. After qualifying 23rd for the Indianapolis 500, he drove through the 33-car field to finish seventh, earning Rookie of the Year honors in his first Indy 500. He later scored his best career IndyCar finish at the time, taking fourth at Texas Motor Speedway.
For the 2020 season, Ferrucci moved to the No. 18 SealMaster Honda after teammate Sébastien Bourdais’s departure from Dale Coyne Racing. He finished fourth at the Indianapolis 500 and recorded five top-five finishes across fourteen races, ending the year thirteenth in points.
A. J. Foyt Racing Era (2023-Present)
Ferrucci returned to IndyCar full-time in 2023 with A. J. Foyt Racing, partnering Indy Lights graduate Benjamin Pedersen. It marked his first full IndyCar campaign since 2020. He qualified fourth for the 2023 Indianapolis 500 at a speed of 233.661 mph and finished third, the best result for an A. J. Foyt Racing entry since 2000.
Ferrucci continued with A. J. Foyt Racing in 2024 alongside Sting Ray Robb. He qualified sixth for the 2024 Indianapolis 500 and finished eighth. He earned his first career IndyCar pole position at Portland and finished eighth in that race. At the 2024 Hy-Vee Milwaukee Mile 250s, he finished fourth in both races of the doubleheader weekend.
Driving Style and Strengths
Ferrucci has shown strength on a wide variety of track types, from superspeedways like Indianapolis to street circuits such as Detroit and natural road courses like Road America and Portland. His versatility is highlighted by his first career pole at Portland and podium finishes at varied venues. He has also demonstrated adaptability by successfully transitioning between open-wheel and stock car machinery, including his NASCAR Xfinity Series efforts with Sam Hunt Racing.
Notable Races and Milestones
Among Ferrucci’s signature results are his third-place finish in the 2023 Indianapolis 500, his Rookie of the Year performance at the 2019 Indy 500, and his first career IndyCar pole at Portland in 2024. His back-to-back fourth-place finishes at the 2024 Milwaukee Mile 250s and consistent presence near the front of the field at A. J. Foyt Racing have marked him as a steady contender within the team.
Santino Ferrucci Career Wins
Ferrucci’s career win total spans karting, junior formulae, IndyCar, and limited NASCAR Xfinity Series appearances. His most celebrated results include podium finishes at the Indianapolis 500 and competitive showings across European junior categories.
IndyCar Series Highlights
Ferrucci has recorded multiple top-five and top-ten finishes in the IndyCar Series, including third place in the 2023 Indianapolis 500 and fourth at Texas Motor Speedway in 2019. His best oval and road course results have come with A. J. Foyt Racing, where he has regularly challenged for top-ten starting positions. He earned his first career IndyCar pole position at Portland in 2024.
Other Wins and Performances
In junior formulae, Ferrucci scored wins in British Formula 3 with Fortec Motorsport and a victory in the Toyota Racing Series at Manfeild in 2015. He also finished on the podium in GP3 Series competition, including a third-place result in the sprint race at Spa-Francorchamps. His NASCAR Xfinity Series appearances with Sam Hunt Racing added stock car experience to an already diverse résumé.
Santino Ferrucci Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Ferrucci was born and raised in Woodbury, Connecticut, by his parents, Mike and Valerie Ferrucci. His family supported his early motorsport ambitions and helped him pursue opportunities across the United States and Europe. Their encouragement allowed him to commit fully to racing from a young age.
Personal Life
Ferrucci grew up admiring seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher as his racing idol. He continues to be recognized for his candid personality and aggressive driving style, traits that have shaped his public image in American motorsports. Beyond racing, his Connecticut roots remain an important part of his identity.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 IndyCar Series season began slowly for Ferrucci and A. J. Foyt Racing, with results that did not immediately reflect the pace shown late in 2024. Despite the slow start, Ferrucci turned his campaign around with a strong fifth-place finish at the Indianapolis 500. That result kicked off a notable streak of four consecutive top-five finishes for the No. 14 team.
During that streak, Ferrucci earned his second and third career IndyCar podium finishes at Detroit and Road America, respectively. The sequence of results pushed A. J. Foyt Racing back into consistent contention within the IndyCar field. His renewed form also strengthened his partnership with the team heading into the second half of the schedule.
Looking ahead, Ferrucci’s 2025 momentum suggests he and A. J. Foyt Racing will continue fighting for podiums and top-ten results across the remaining oval and road course events. With a pole at Portland already on his résumé and a recent string of top-fives, Ferrucci appears well-positioned to build on his strongest season of results with the team.