Santino Ferrucci takes a brutal jibe at “backmarker” Connor Daly as he discusses his Mid-Ohio incident

Santino Ferrucci recently weighed in on his on-track incident with Conor Daly during media day ahead of the Iowa Speedway Grand Prix. The 27-year-old aimed a subtle jibe at the Indiana native during his interaction with the media.

The pair, who have recently dominated headlines across IndyCar following the on-track incident that occurred between them during the recent Indy 200 Mid-Ohio Grand Prix, have shown little sign of moving on, with both drivers taking subtle digs at each other ahead of the upcoming oval race.

Specifically, the incident — which has now spiralled into a subtle media spat — involved Santino Ferrucci running Conor Daly off the track in what appeared to be an attempted overtake during the Mid-Ohio race. Daly, following the conclusion of the Lexington event, subsequently took to X to label the AJ Foyt Racing driver a clown for attempting to ruin his race.

However, responding to comments from Daly ahead of the commencement of the Iowa Speedway doubleheader, Santino Ferrucci himself described the incident as being caught up in a mess with a backmarker. Speaking via IndyCar on FOX, he stated:

“...So that’s why there is no action. No penalty says it was intentional, and you know, it’s unfortunate, but at the end of the day we had a good race, but we’re having a tough week and I just got caught up messing with a backmarker. You know, we would have finished inside the top 10 and I’m really mad at myself because I feel like I’d run four perfect races going up to that point, and that’s the only mistake I’ve made in the last five weekends. So yeah…” (1:05 onwards).

The incident between both drivers appeared to affect their overall outing at the Ohio event, as Conor Daly failed to improve his grid position during the race, finishing in 19th place despite starting 12th. For Santino Ferrucci, however, he was able to climb up one spot to 16th after starting the Grand Prix in 17th place.

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Conor Daly slams Santino Ferrucci again for Mid-Ohio incident

Conor Daly once again aimed Santino Ferrucci as he referred to the Mid-Ohio incident during a recent episode of the Street Speed podcast. The Juncos Hollinger driver expressed his frustration with the AJ Foyt star as he reflected on the clash.

The pair, who share a well-documented history of media spats and subtle hostility, found themselves embroiled in yet another chapter of their rivalry during the Mid-Ohio Grand Prix, when Ferrucci clattered into Daly as he attempted an overtake. The move forced Daly onto the grass, narrowly avoiding the barriers during the race.

Conor Daly later took to social media to label Santino Ferrucci a clown following the incident, calling it a reckless move. Just as it appeared the tension might be easing, Daly doubled down during his recent appearance on the Street Speed podcast. Sharing his thoughts on the Connecticut native, he stated:

“I don't know how, in your mind, you think, ‘All right, I'm actually gonna ruin my race and lose track position in the race that I am trying to compete in and earn points for my team, my sponsors.’

“And I've said this before on this show—we’ve literally talked about the same thing—the lack of respect that Santino actually has for the effort that goes into this type of racing. To throw it away purely because he either doesn't care, or doesn't know what's going on, or doesn't like me,” added Daly. (23:21 onwards)

Both Daly and Santino Ferrucci were previously involved in a social media spat during the 2021 off-season. The pair have often carried this hostility onto the racetrack, with Daly even attempting to brake-test Ferrucci in the pit lane during the Mid-Ohio race.

Both drivers will be ones to watch closely as the doubleheader oval event at Iowa Speedway takes centre stage.