Indy 500: Ericsson Penalized to 31st After Race
Marcus Ericsson, the Indy 500 runner-up, saw his hard-fought second-place finish evaporate, as post-race inspections revealed unapproved modifications. IndyCar penalized Ericsson, dropping him to 31st place due to aerodynamic violations, impacting his championship points and prize money. His teammate, Kyle Kirkwood, also faced penalties, ending up in 32nd.The infractions involve the energy management system covers. Prema Racing’s Callum Ilott also received penalties, falling to the rear of the field. The penalties led to shifts in the standings, impacting the final results and elevating other drivers. Andretti global is requesting a full review of the decision, a move that could reshape the results. Stay informed with News Directory 3 for extensive coverage. Discover what’s next for the teams involved!
Indy 500: ericsson, Kirkwood Penalized for Aerodynamic Modifications
Updated May 26, 2025
Marcus Ericsson, the Indianapolis 500 runner-up, and his Andretti Global teammate Kyle Kirkwood where penalized following postrace inspection. IndyCar officials found unapproved modifications that could have enhanced their cars’ aerodynamic efficiency. The penalties relegate both drivers to the rear of the 33-car field.
Ericsson, who narrowly missed the win against Alex Palou, will now be credited with 31st place. kirkwood drops to 32nd after initially finishing sixth. The penalties impact their championship points and prize money.
Andretti Global acknowledged the penalties. “We are taking the necessary time to assess the facts and we will be requesting a full review with IndyCar,” the team said in a statement regarding the Indy 500 penalties.
IndyCar specified that the modifications involved the energy management system covers, supplied by Dallara. Series rules mandate that these parts must be used as provided.
Both Ericsson and Kirkwood forfeit their original prize money and championship points, receiving instead the awards for their penalized positions. Each team also faces a $100,000 fine, and their competition managers are suspended for the Detroit race.
The Indy 500 purse reached a record $20,283,000 this year,with Palou receiving $3.8 million. Ericsson’s penalty reduces his potential earnings from a possible $1 million for second place to $610,500 for 31st. Kirkwood will receive $607,500.
Kirkwood commented on the situation. “We had a great race, we came across the line in sixth,” Kirkwood said. “We’ll go through the [review] process, and this team is built on sportsmanship, they are built on integrity and we’ll try to do everything right in the future.”
The disqualifications elevated David Malukas of A.J. Foyt Racing to second place and Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren to third. This result,combined with Santino Ferrucci’s fifth-place finish,marks A.J. Foyt Racing’s best Indy 500 result in 25 years.
Callum Ilott’s No.90 car also failed postrace inspection due to a minimum endplate height issue. prema Racing received similar penalties, dropping Ilott from 12th to last place.
“Oh,” Ilott posted on social media, reacting to the penalty. His payout decreased to $155,300. “I was at brunch and it was ruined.”
Prema Racing stated that Ilott’s front wing endplate did not meet minimum height requirements, despite passing previous inspections. “The issue didn’t lead to any performance gain, the car ended up being non-compliant with the rules at the end of the race, so the team accepts full obligation,” Prema said.
Doug Boles, president of IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, noted that ericsson, Kirkwood, and Ilott attended the awards ceremony despite the option to skip it. “To a man, Marcus, Kyle and Callum, all said, ’We would not miss an opportunity to come to the victory banquet for the greatest race on earth,'” Boles said.
Ericsson expressed his disappointment. “I don’t know the details enough, it’s so fresh and the team is reviewing it all,” Ericsson said before the awards ceremony. “It’s obviously very harsh penalties, but if that’s the rules, then that’s the rules. We respect the integrity of the sport.”
IndyCar’s inspection process faced scrutiny prior to the race when Team Penske cars driven by Josef Newgarden and Will Power were found to have unapproved modifications. Newgarden and Power started at the rear and finished 25th and 19th, respectively; however, they will move up three spots due to the penalties against Andretti Global and Prema Racing.
“This is a moment that I think we all can use to move forward because in our most difficult times is when true character is shown,” boles said. “As a community, we’re going to get stronger. We’re going to get better. We’re going to show everyone why we had 7 million viewers watch this Indy 500.”
What’s next
Andretti Global plans to request a full review of IndyCar’s decision regarding the Indy 500 penalties. The outcome of this review could potentially alter the final standings and penalties imposed.