NTT INDYCAR SERIES News Conference
Thursday May 22, 2025
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Santino Ferrucci – A.J. Foyt Racing
Starts 15th

THE MODERATOR: Santino, how would you describe your month or two weeks of May?

SANTINO FERRUCCI: I don’t know if I want to summarize my month (smiling). It’s been a lot. I really feel for my crew, who have probably split the car now eight times, which you’re only really supposed to do three. I feel really bad for those guys. They’ve been working really hard to give me a really, really solid race car.

Monday practice was the first time we got to really be out there racing in the pack. I felt really competitive. Was able to pass a bunch of people, especially in the train. Couple small changes we want to do for Friday’s practice. Hope that everything is the same once we put it back together for the weekend.

Q. Santino, INDYCAR season is finished after the European standard relatively early by the end of August. A couple of years ago you did some NASCAR stuff. Are you planning to do similar things the rest of the year to stay sharp?

SANTINO FERRUCCI: I’d like to. I don’t have anything currently on my schedule. The only thing past INDYCAR that I have is the Chili Bowl, which I’ll be back again for. As everybody knows, I love my dirt racing.

If I could figure something out over there once our season is over and my job is complete here at INDYCAR, then yeah, definitely.

Q. Santino, you’re always up in the front of this race leading. How do you think the race is going to run with the hybrid, the conditions?

SANTINO FERRUCCI: I think conditions… Even having the hybrid in the car, it makes it a little bit more free on the entry, which is one thing. Everybody is kind of fighting the same things, free in, pushy off. At the end of the day, the biggest thing that affects our racing other than downforce is the tires. If the tires are wearing really good or wearing out too aggressively or not wearing at all, really have a big impact on our racing.

From what I can tell, it’s going to be pretty decent. The weather is going to help us. When it gets really hot and you can’t follow and you have as much downforce on as you possibly can. Gets cool like this, we can trim the cars out, not run wickers on the rear and get a lot closer. It’ll also allow the track to run two lanes, which is nice. Two lanes at the start, not two lanes throughout.

I think it should be pretty good. If we get a nice 65-, 70-degree day, a little bit overcast, even for the fans that don’t want to be sunburnt, it will probably be good for everybody.

Q. Santino, how do you think the personnel changes at Team Penske could impact the technical alliance that you have?

SANTINO FERRUCCI: To be honest with you, I don’t know. I mean, like I said, I drive for AJ Foyt. For us, I mean, our focus is to win the 500. Nothing’s changed for us. Seriously, nothing’s changed under our roof.

Yeah, no, we still operate at two totally different teams in that respect. Like I said, it’s a bummer to see that happen. I think those are all fantastic people that have worked really hard to get to where they are today. It’s sad to see that happen in today’s world of motorsports.

Yeah, no, that’s all I got.

Q. Rookie on pole who has never been on pole in an INDYCAR race, let alone an oval. How do you navigate the start?

SANTINO FERRUCCI: Pretty cool. I’m not going to lie, it’s pretty cool. You have a brand-new team, a driver that I’ve raced with growing up in Europe. So I’ve known him a long time. All in all, something of history. Cool to see. Not just as a competitor, but as a fan of this beautiful race.

Now, I think does he trust his spotters? I hope so. Next to him you have probably one of the most talented people around this place starting it off, too.

Then Pato, as well, who has done amazing here.

I think, yeah, it’s going to be entertaining.

Q. Santino, third year for you driving for AJ Foyt. Is there any extra pressure on you to perform well here?

SANTINO FERRUCCI: Yeah, I mean, A.J. has won it four. He won it once as a team owner as well. I would love to give him his sixth 500 win. Obviously it’s been a few years since the team has won.

I brought them back a pole last year. I’ve come very close to winning this event in ’23 with them. I feel really confident in our abilities this year. I think this is going to be one of better shots I’ve had at it, too. It’s all about maximizing on race day.

Driving and spending time with A.J. in the pits is unbelievable. You can’t even put into words what it’s like to just sit in the garage with him, especially during one of the days like Monday to where you have a lot of time on your hands before you go out for two hours of practice. Him telling stories back in the day, talking about the car, explaining to him the feeling of what I have, what we were doing in engineering, hearing his opinions and thoughts.

It’s almost crazy to think that someone, when A.J. drove, he only retired in the early ’90s, that his car, what he would do with the setup, to what we’re doing in engineering really lines up pretty well. It’s pretty spectacular.

It’s just a joy to be around him, and try to cherish all those moments while I can.

THE MODERATOR: Do you have a favorite A.J. story?

SANTINO FERRUCCI: Not one that I’d like to share.

THE MODERATOR: We asked Malukas the same thing…

GRAHAM RAHAL: No stories (laughter).

SANTINO FERRUCCI: They’re all in the book. If you want to hear about the stories, read the book. I’m telling you, read the book.

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

NTT INDYCAR SERIES News Conference
Thursday May 22, 2025
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Robert Shwartzman – PREMA Racing
Starts 1st

THE MODERATOR: Robert, what has the last several days been like for you?

ROBERT SHWARTZMAN: Very busy. Yeah, it’s good to be that busy, let’s say I’m very happy. Actually, I’m extremely happy. It’s still quite an unbelievable thing that happened on Sunday.

Like the guys said, we’re all trying to now focus on the race and try to get our best from the car to have the most comfortable environment starting the race.

It’s 200 laps. Probably the conditions are going to be changing a bit. From what I’ve seen, I’ve never raced on the oval, but you can get a bit of traffic. We’ll try to find a good way for having a good car for all of these conditions.

We need to use wisely this Carb Day. I like the name of it, it’s actually fun day. I come from karting. We used to have a lot of playing with carburetors. Carb Day is quite cool.

We’ll see how we’re going to go on Sunday. We’ll have two guys quite experienced, one guy that won twice, one guy that really wants to win. Big hunger. Twice super close to winning it. For sure it’s going to be a big challenge for me, but at the same time I want to learn, I want to experience, I want things going smooth.

I try to be calm throughout all the race. From what we’ve seen, the race is decided on the last lap. Just hopefully be there at the top battling with the guys for the win.

THE MODERATOR: No better way to start your first 500.

ROBERT SHWARTZMAN: Big responsibility. You see 350,000 people, it’s quite impressive. We come here to race and win and do our best. Whenever there is a green flag, it’s just full focus on the front.

Q. Robert, you knew when you won the Indianapolis 500 pole it was a huge accomplishment. After what you’ve been through the last couple days, has it been jaw-dropping the experience, the notoriety that has come with it?

ROBERT SHWARTZMAN: Well, I mean, I don’t even know how to answer that question.

It obviously feels amazing. I’ve never felt such a great qualifying in my entire career. I come from Europe. Normally qualifying, it’s important, but it’s never something that stands out so much. The next day you go race. Here it seems like it’s a different event. The whole race separates in two phases. There is one that is qualifying, another one is the race.

It’s unique. It’s the only where I’ve seen that so far. It’s just awesome. Honestly the whole vibe and fans that come here to watch qualifying, support drivers, support us, it’s just awesome, honestly.

Obviously I was very happy and tired at the same time doing so many interviews, having so many questions. I will still probably do quite a bit. But yeah, this is part of the job and I’m looking forward for it.

Q. Robert, have you heard from any recording studios?

PATO O’WARD: I saw TikTok.

ROBERT SHWARTZMAN: It just doesn’t leave me now. (Smiling). Not yet. Trying to focus on Indy 500. I hope eventually at some point some cool studio or Colares is going to contact me. Maybe I’ll get a couple of guys as well on the beat.

I heard Colton is good on drums or something.

PATO O’WARD: Will Power also.

ROBERT SHWARTZMAN: Probably will take couple of guys with me to the studio to do an Indy 500 song or something like that.

Q. Have you noticed any additional views, bump in any of your socials?

ROBERT SHWARTZMAN: Quite a bit, yeah. For sure. I mean, it’s such a big event here. I’ve had a lot of — I was coming from Europe, so like 90% of my following are people who were following me from Italy, Ferrari, or Europe because that’s where I was performing, showing myself.

When I come here in the U.S., especially in the beginning, not many people knew who I was or my story. Step by step I was trying to get them to know me a bit. Especially that’s the whole qualifying thing, it was just a big hit for everybody. Who is this guy? Out of nowhere I just pop up. This is interesting.

For sure there was a good, let’s say, amount of people that started to know me. I’m happy about that. I always wanted to have an American fan base, as well. If you see Pato or Takuma, they have a lot of people that follow them, support them. They’ve raced here. It was also for me to become at their level, but also to represent my country, battle with them and have a lot of funs here in the U.S.

Q. Robert, after winning the pole, you didn’t get out of here till very late at night. Were you surprised at how much you had to do after all of that, the last couple days?

ROBERT SHWARTZMAN: Yeah, initially before qualifying I thought we’ll finish it on Sunday, then we’re going to have a couple of days of chilling, relaxing, then focusing on the race. All of a sudden I take pole position. The moment I jump out of the car, they stick the camera right in front of my face and say, Let’s go. I couldn’t even see my team. It was just so fast. They brought me in here. There was interview after interview. It was just crazy.

I finish at 11:00, arrive at home at 12:00. The next morning I had to wake up at 6:00 because at 7:00 I had already another interview. And from then on it just started again.

So this amount, a lot of, let’s say, talking and interviews and podcasts and videos and stuff, I’ve never experienced in my life, in my career, that amount. In F1 they hit quite a bit, but it was way shorter. It was not as big as you guys have it here.

Q. Going into your first 500, you have a lot of veterans that are around the paddock that you can talk to. What has been the best piece of advice you’ve been given and who gave you that advice?

ROBERT SHWARTZMAN: There is quite a few drivers that have talked to me, just generally tried to sort of give an advice.

I wasn’t there in the garage, but at some point Will Power showed up to the garage and spoke with my engineer because my engineer worked in Penske before. He sort of give him probably more of an advice that it’s getting quite cool in the qualifying top six, so get ready to have a different car balance. It’s going to be more grip. It was a good thing for us to also have a bit of info from his side.

There was Scott McLaughlin, who was also giving some tips and tricks what he have done in the past. There was a lot of drivers that give their support. It’s another thing that is quite impressive here.

When I was in Europe, it seemed that all of the drivers were just against each other. There was nobody talking, nobody helping. There was so much tension between drivers. I understand why. When you’re going to Formula 3, Formula 2, you want to stand out to get the chance in Formula 1. You need to show yourself as something special. Therefore the mentality of drivers were different.

Here it seems that everybody is way more supportive. It’s may more enjoyable. It’s a competition, but at the same time it’s way more respectful, let’s say. I really like it.

Q. How was it milking that cow?

PATO O’WARD: I’m jealous. I wanted to do that. I’ve never milked a cow.

ROBERT SHWARTZMAN: That’s maybe what you need to have a proper good luck for winning the Indy 500. The woman, she came to me and said, The people who didn’t milk the cow, they never won Indy 500, and they were like DNF. It’s a bad luck. Whoever milk the cow. Alexander Rossi did it. He won the 500. You have to milk the cow.

PATO O’WARD: I’m going find a cow, and I’m going to milk it tonight.

TAKUMA SATO: I didn’t do that. There are some other ways you can get away with that (smiling).

ROBERT SHWARTZMAN: You can always ask for milking a cow. Maybe next year ask for it.

PATO O’WARD: Get my own cow.

ROBERT SHWARTZMAN: The cow name was Indy. I got to meet her. She was very calm and cute. First you need to pet her a bit, get comfy with her.

As I said, try next year. Whenever I came to her, she was ready. She explain to me the technique. It was working well.

Again, I don’t know. I don’t know how it works there. But it was a lot of fun. It was good. It was good.

PATO O’WARD: Did you try it?

ROBERT SHWARTZMAN: The milk? No, I didn’t try it, man.

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

NTT INDYCAR SERIES News Conference
Thursday May 22, 2025
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Pato O’Ward – Arrow McLaren
Starts 3rd

THE MODERATOR: Pato, I’m sure you’re champing at the bit, ready to get going tomorrow. What do you hope to learn?

PATO O’WARD: Yeah, obviously two more hours to get the car into a nice window, best window that you can going into the race.

Yeah, just looking forward to seeing everybody back at the Speedway. It’s going to be a sold-out event, nuts. The vibes are going to be cool. Yeah, just really ready to just be done and dusted with this. It’s been a long month (smiling).

It’s been a smooth one so far.

Q. Pato, we know how bad you want to win the Indianapolis 500. This year you’ve displayed a lot of inner peace and confidence. Do you feel a lot more confident here than in the past?

PATO O’WARD: I mean, I’m just calm. It’s such a long race, man. It’s like three hours long or something. You got to be there in the end just to even have a shot.

That’s pretty much how I approach it all the time. You have to be there in the last stint. When you get to the last stint, you got to be there five laps to go, four laps to go. It can end in a split of a second. But it also can turn around quite quickly and you can have a shot.

Every 500 is different. Taku has done more than me, but I think he can agree none of them are the same. Knowledge is priceless. If you’re obviously in a similar situation to the past, you can pick and choose what you’re going to do.

They’re all different, man. This year with the hybrid, the cars have been so on the edge. Some guys are driving insane in practice. I mean, last year in the race I was shocked with how some guys were driving in lap 15.

Yeah, I think it’s safe to say you never know what to expect. Just be ready for anything.

Q. Pato, with what’s come out over the last 48 hours about Newgarden’s car from a year ago, do you wonder whether he could have passed you, whether it made a difference in passing you on the last lap?

PATO O’WARD: You know what, whatever it was, I would have never wanted to win an Indy 500 a year later just because one car got caught being illegal, whatever. I truly believe Josef won that race. He timed it better than I did. I want to be able to experience what any Indy 500 winner gets to experience, the whole schnaz, the energy. That’s ultimately what makes the experience to the next level, just being an Indy 500 winner.

I know how to position myself to be in a chance to win. I believe I have the team behind me able to do that.

Starting on the front row, best starting position I’ve ever had, we’ll see what we can do on Sunday.

Q. How was it milking that cow?

PATO O’WARD: I’m jealous. I wanted to do that. I’ve never milked a cow.

ROBERT SHWARTZMAN: That’s maybe what you need to have a proper good luck for winning the Indy 500. The woman, she came to me and said, The people who didn’t milk the cow, they never won Indy 500, and they were like DNF. It’s a bad luck. Whoever milk the cow. Alexander Rossi did it. He won the 500. You have to milk the cow.

PATO O’WARD: I’m going find a cow, and I’m going to milk it tonight.

TAKUMA SATO: I didn’t do that. There are some other ways you can get away with that (smiling).

ROBERT SHWARTZMAN: You can always ask for milking a cow. Maybe next year ask for it.

PATO O’WARD: Get my own cow.

ROBERT SHWARTZMAN: The cow name was Indy. I got to meet her. She was very calm and cute. First you need to pet her a bit, get comfy with her.

As I said, try next year. Whenever I came to her, she was ready. She explain to me the technique. It was working well.

Again, I don’t know. I don’t know how it works there. But it was a lot of fun. It was good. It was good.

PATO O’WARD: Did you try it?

ROBERT SHWARTZMAN: The milk? No, I didn’t try it, man.

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

NTT INDYCAR SERIES News Conference
Thursday May 22, 2025
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
David Malukas – A.J. Foyt Racingf
Starts 7th

THE MODERATOR: David, how much are you looking forward getting back in the car for Sunday?

DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, it feels really good. We’ve had a lot of really hot days to start off this month. I think the car is going to have a big transition coming for Friday. Very excited to get back into it and learn more on the setup heading for the race since it’s going to be cooler temperatures. Got one more, but it’s going to be a very important session for us.

Q. Do you guys go through and talk about family that’s here this weekend, having your support system here?

DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, I guess I’ll start.

I have actually a lot of my friends, ’cause in my growing-up years, going through puberty, I actually grew up in England. I spent a few years there. That’s kind of where I had the interest in soccer, football, what it’s called internationally. A lot of my friends from England are going to be coming over. It’s actually their first time coming to the States.

Obviously my girlfriend is going to be coming, my family, my sister. It’s kind of going to be a good family reunion at the same time.

Q. David, I’ve lived in Chicago the past couple years, so I have to ask, with you being from Chicago, fans are always looking for new Chicago-born athletes to embrace. Does the notoriety that would come with being an Indy 500 champion provide you with any additional motivation?

DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, of course. I mean, we also have a few Chicagoans on the car. My mechanic Nick, as well. We always are having that cheer of the Chicagoan home.

A fan also gave me a Chicago flag, so we’re going to have that hung up leading up to the 500 in the garage, too. There’s definitely that city strength that we have.

It would be very cool to bring that home, to go back to Chicago. I would love to do that.

Q. David, there’s very little history anymore of the old Indy 500 and the new Indy 500 in the sense of historical figures like AJ Foyt. When you were a kid, with all due respect, what did you know about AJ Foyt? How is it different racing for somebody like him as opposed to some of the other leadership you’ve had?

DAVID MALUKAS: I think growing up, I always had that period that I wanted to be a part of history in some way. Those deep thoughts, what is the point of life. For me it was in that perspective. Growing up I always used to watch racing from INDYCAR, F1, NASCAR. I got heavily involved in it at a young age. Me and my dad would always go on the weekends.

To be here at the Indy 500, this is already a dream of mine, of course. To do it with my name side by side with AJ Foyt Racing, probably one of the most historical drivers when it comes to a big name. You say that name anywhere, people will know of it. To have my name side by side, I don’t think there’s any way better to be a part of history and achieve what my dreams are.

THE MODERATOR: Ice cream is not bad in the garage, too?

DAVID MALUKAS: Very good ice cream. I think the Drumsticks are the favorite. I see a lot of those.

Q. Starting seventh and eighth, how much encouragement does it give for both of you leading up to Sunday’s main event?

DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, I mean, I’m really excited. Like Marcus said earlier, this is a really good starting row, row 3. It’s where we want to be.

I was talking to A.J. as well previously. He said he won a race from the seventh position at some point. I feel like it’s a very good spot, especially coming from the previous years. The team is very strong. It’s a very good car. Our traffic running has been impressive. I’m very excited heading into Sunday.

Q. David, I’m fascinated about your background in England, where you grew up, why you were there.

DAVID MALUKAS: Yeah, for my karting years I lived there. If you’re familiar with the area, you’re going to be surprised. I actually lived most of my time in Grimsby, and then partly in Leeds, Manchester, and London. So I’ve been a little bit from middle to south, but kind of all over through there.

Q. David, has A.J. given you any advice?

DAVID MALUKAS: He’s given me a lot of good stories from his past races and events that have happened to him.

When it comes to advice, I mean, it’s so hard to give advice for the 500. Things kind of just happen as it is. I think it’s just as anybody always says, it’s a long race, so just keep the head down and don’t do anything too silly to start and save it for the end.

THE MODERATOR: What’s your favorite Foyt story?

DAVID MALUKAS: I can’t say any stories.

THE MODERATOR: None at all?

DAVID MALUKAS: Absolutely not, no.

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.