Santino Ferrucci made his IndyCar debut back in 2018, but has only managed to reach the podium once in 76 races since.
A pair of fourth places at the Milwaukee Mile weekend left him agonisingly close to a second triumph, having last managed to reach the rostrum at the 2023 Indianapolis 500.
Encouraging signs are there for the AJ Foyt Racing driver, who has scored 10 top 10 finishes in 17 rounds this season.
The result is that with one round of the season to go, he is on course for a best IndyCar championship finish of 10th, unlikely to lose positions with a 38-point margin behind, but he could hunt down some of his rivals to end up inside the top eight.
Santino Ferrucci frustrated by ‘rough’ hunt for IndyCar podium
Ferrucci managed to set the record for most passes in a race this season during race two of the Milwaukee Mile, but that wasn’t enough to satisfy him.
He looked set to challenge for victory, before his pace faded in the middle of the race during a stint on the primary tyres.
Speaking to RACER after the event, he insisted that all factors have to come together to even have a chance of getting that elusive podium.
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“Pretty stout weekend overall,” he said. “Obviously rough to miss the podium twice, but we’ve been working really hard at it, and it’s just so hard to be competitive and be in the top five in this series.
“Everything needs to be so perfect. It’s awesome for points. I’ve got my own personal goals of being on a trophy hunt by the end of the year and we’ve got one more race to make it happen.”
What comes next for Ferrucci’s IndyCar journey?
It’s slightly surprising that a man who managed to put AJ Foyt on pole for the first time in 10 years is currently an IndyCar free agent.
Ferrucci’s 2024 campaign should’ve done nothing but convince the team that at the age of 25, he now brings a great blend of experience and speed.
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His driving has matured and a top 10 finish in the standings reflects this, but he has no 2025 contract to show for it yet.
David Malukas has been confirmed as one of the outfit’s drivers for next season, meaning that it could be a battle between Ferrucci and Sting Ray Robb for the final seat.
It’s hard to assess whether that’s much of a competition though, with Robb having finished inside the top 10 once all season on his way to a standing of 20th in the championship.