AJ Foyt Racing was the team that made the most significant leap forward in 2024. Thanks to its technical partnership with Team Penske, the team—previously a regular at the back of the field—suddenly became a consistent top-ten contender. With two competitive drivers this year, the team aims to take another step forward, with victories high on its wish list.

Santino Ferrucci

The difference between 2023 and 2024 was particularly striking for Ferrucci. In 2023, the American was only competitive in the Indy 500, which also marked his sole top-ten finish. However, in 2024, he finished in the top ten in ten of the seventeen races and even secured his first career pole position in the IndyCar Series at Portland International Raceway. Ferrucci is hungry for more success.

“Towards the end of the year, we definitely picked up the pace with the pole, the two top 5s, and a really strong run in Nashville—we qualified in the top 5 there too, if it wasn’t for the engine penalty,” Ferrucci said. “But all of that is just building on the success we had throughout the year: developing setups, gathering data, and refining our processes. Our engineering staff last year was almost entirely new, so it took some time for us to get up to speed. The Penske alliance was also a learning curve for us, but we started figuring it out toward the end of the year.”

“It’s been a busy off-season with a lot of simulator time with Chevrolet, and now, working all under one roof in our Indy shop is going to be a game changer. I think we can expect more success—more top 5s, hopefully some more poles, and that maiden win!”

David Malukas

For David Malukas, 2024 was an unusual season. The young American had high hopes of breaking through with a contract at McLaren, but a pre-season mountain biking accident left him injured, forcing him to miss the opening races. McLaren grew impatient with his recovery and decided to release him.

A similar fate befell Tom Blomqvist at Meyer Shank Racing, which opened the door for Malukas. He joined Meyer Shank Racing for the final ten races of the season and managed to impress on several occasions. Team boss Michael Shank was eager to retain him, but Malukas opted for a contract with AJ Foyt Racing, drawn by the team’s partnership with Penske. He shares teammate Ferrucci’s high expectations for the upcoming season.

“My primary goal is to consistently perform and stay up front,” Malukas concluded. “Considering the team’s success, especially last season, I think we’re in a really strong position. Expectations are definitely high.”

“With the team we have, we’re absolutely aiming for results. I think my teammate Santino and I, especially on ovals, will form a very strong duo. Expectations are high going into the season. But at the end of the day, it just feels great to have a full season ahead and focus on consistency.”