3 key takeaways from the IndyCar Detroit GP feat. Santino Ferrucci’s penalty

Sunday’s (June 1) Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix delivered one of the most unpredictable and intense races of the 2025 INDYCAR season. Amid the chaos, Kyle Kirkwood claimed his second victory of the year, while Santino Ferrucci endured a harsh penalty despite finishing second for A. J. Foyt Racing. Colton Herta rounded out the all-American podium in third for Andretti Global.

Here are three key takeaways from an unforgettable race in Detroit.

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#1 Second-place finisher Santino Ferrucci received a harsh penalty for violations

AUTO: MAY 23 INDYCAR 109th Running of The Indianapolis 500 - Source: Getty

IndyCar regulations require that the combined weight of the driver and the ballast, placed in a box located forward of the seatback, must fall between 185 and 186 pounds. According to the team, Ferrucci’s car was 1.8 pounds below that requirement in that specific area. This rule exists to ensure that no driver gains a competitive edge based on their body weight.

Interestingly, despite the underweight issue in that section, Santino Ferrucci’s car was still 10 pounds over the overall minimum weight limit of 1,785 pounds. Generally, a lighter car would offer a performance advantage, but that wasn't the case here.

As a result of the infraction, Santino Ferrucci was penalized 25 points and stripped of the bonus point he earned for leading a lap. Additionally, the team forfeited the prize money from the race.

"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, most importantly, we remain committed to racing the right way, for our fans, our partners, and our sport," the team statement read.

They have stated they will not challenge the penalty, so Ferrucci dropped from 10th to 14th in the standings.

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#2 Kyle Kirkwood dents Alex Palou's streak

Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix - Source: Getty

With Kyle Kirkwood’s triumph, only two drivers have managed to reach victory lane so far this year. Championship leader Álex Palou, who had dominated the early part of the season with five wins in the first six races, including the prestigious Indy 500, saw his streak disrupted after he was taken out in a late-race incident and failed to finish.

Kirkwood finished seventh in the Indianapolis 500, but it turned into a 32nd-place finish due to failing post-race tech. He got emotional summing up the victory.

"I’ve gotten every emotion that I've ever had in motorsport, we had a phenomenal 500, and I got every emotion in the 500 alone. ... Obviously, drama through the week and then coming into this weekend where we knew we'd be fast.....That's motor racing for you...You get all the emotions. You get the highs; you get the lows. That's what we live for. We live for the highs, but we also enjoy the lows when you look back at it, because it makes the highs even that much sweeter," Kirkwood said.

This is Kirkwood's second victory this season after the Long Beach Grand Prix win.

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#3 The Detroit Grand Prix witnessed the first All-American podium in five years

Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix - Source: Getty

For the first time since the Mid-Ohio race in July 2020, American drivers swept the IndyCar podium. Kyle Kirkwood took the win, with Santino Ferrucci finishing second and Colton Herta securing third. Back in 2020, it was an all-Andretti lineup of Colton Herta, Alexander Rossi, and Ryan Hunter-Reay, who locked out the top three.

In this year’s Detroit Grand Prix, Andretti once again claimed two podium spots, thanks to Kirkwood and Herta. Meanwhile, Ferrucci delivered a strong performance to land A. J. Foyt Racing is in the runner-up position.

Despite the American sweep in Detroit, IndyCar remains one of the most internationally diverse motorsport series. The Indianapolis 500, just a week earlier, featured drivers from 14 different countries among its 33-car grid and across the full-time 27-driver lineup in the 2025 season, 12 nations are represented: 11 drivers hail from the United States, with others coming from New Zealand (3), Denmark (2), Sweden (2), England (2), and one each from Mexico, the Cayman Islands, Spain, Australia, the Netherlands, Canada, and Israel.