"Doing this for Marlyne": Santino Ferrucci chugs fan's beer, remembers deceased IndyCar sponsor after Road America podium

AJ Foyt Racing's Santino Ferrucci was spotted chugging down a fan's beer post his third-place finish in the 2025 XPEL IndyCar Grand Prix at Road America on Sunday, June 22. At the end of the race, he chugged down a fan's beer while celebrating on track and later dedicated his podium to Marlyne Sexton.

Before thanking his crew for delivering a podium finish, Santino Ferrucci also talked about AJ Foyt Racing's long-term sponsor, Marlyne Sexton, who passed away on June 11, 2025.

During his post-race interview, the 27-year-old driver said (via IndyCar on FOX X):

"Man, you know all I could think about to myself was we are doing this for Marlyne. And you know, they were counting down the laps, and I told Mike, listen, I've got to focus because this is getting stressful. You know, he let me drive, honestly the crew did an amazing job on stops. I stalled it too, so even with the stall, coming back and finishing the way we did was pretty amazing."

The reigning IndyCar champion, Alex Palou, won the 55-lap race ahead of Meyer Shank Racing's Felix Rosenqvist, who finished second, ahead of Ferrucci. For the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America, Santino Ferrucci was even running a special livery in memory of Marlyne Saxton.

Santino Ferrucci started the Road America race from P18

The 2025 XPEL Grand Prix at Road America turned out to be an extremely chaotic race. It was full of several crashes, and this, to some extent, helped Santino Ferrucci in making his way up in the 55-lap race.

The AJ Foyt Racing driver started the Grand Prix from P18 on the grid, and following yesterday's qualifying, he cut out as a disappointed figure.

"Obviously not the qualifying result I think we had in mind. Really, really solid on the prime tire, and then we just kind of missed it on the alternates. Good thing is I think we know exactly why, but at the end of the day, Sunday is what's going to matter. You can pass on this track, and I'm not afraid to race so I'll get it up there. I think we just kind of missed something in the mid-corner rotation. Like I said, I'm not afraid to brake late and get on it," Ferrucci said via AJ Foyt Racing website.

Following his P3 heroics in the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America, Santino Ferrucci has now secured four top-five finishes in the first nine IndyCar races this season. Next up on the 17-race calendar is the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio on July 6.

Given how Ferrucci has performed for the AJ Foyt Racing team in the 2025 IndyCar season, he will eye his fifth career podium finish in Ohio.

Edited by Sumeet Kavthale