INDYCAR docks Santino Ferrucci 26 points, fines team for weight violation
Santino Ferrucci kept his second-place finish but was penalized 26 points, and the A.J. Foyt Racing team was fined $25,000 for his car being underweight in the driver compartment following the Detroit Grand Prix.
INDYCAR rules require the combined weight of the driver and the weight in a ballast box in a location forward of the seatback to be 185 to 186 pounds, and the team said it was 1.8 pounds underweight. His car was underweight in that area. The purpose of that rule is to minimize any advantage a driver might have because of how much the driver weighs.
But Ferrucci’s car was also 10 pounds over the minimum total weight of the car of 1,785 pounds. Typically, a lighter car would go faster.
Ferrucci was issued a 25-point penalty and also lost the point he was awarded for leading a lap. The team also lost the prize money from the event. The team will not appeal the penalty.
"We acknowledge and accept the penalty issued for being 1.8 pounds under the required driver ballast weight," the team said in a statement. "This was an unintentional oversight, and we take full responsibility for the mistake. Our car was, in fact, 10 pounds over the minimum total weight, and the discrepancy in ballast was not intended to gain a competitive advantage.
"However, we recognize that compliance with every rule is critical to ensuring fairness in this sport, no matter how minor the deviation may seem. We are working closely with our technical team to strengthen our processes and ensure this does not happen again."
Ferrucci dropped from 10th to 14th in the standings.
"We’re grateful for the passion and integrity of INDYCAR, and while this situation is disappointing, we respect the rules that keep our competition honest and safe," the team statement said. "Most importantly, we remain committed to racing the right way – for our fans, our partners, and our sport.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
