WATCH: Santino Ferrucci borrows and chugs a fan’s beer after a podium finish at Road America

It’s not unusual for drivers to be desperately in need of fluids after a grueling race, but the way they get them can sometimes raise eyebrows. Santino Ferrucci certainly stirred reactions with his unconventional method of rehydrating after the IndyCar Grand Prix at Road America.

The 27-year-old, who finished on the podium for his team, endured a truly physically demanding race. Having qualified in 18th place and forced to carefully manage his fuel, he brought his specially liveried AJ Foyt team car home in third place. Exhausted and parched, the Connecticut native was in dire need of fluids, but instead of turning to his pit crew, Santino Ferrucci opted for a drink from the fans.

As seen in a video shared on X (formerly Twitter) by IndyCar on FOX, the former Dale Coyne Racing star, who stopped just before entering the pit lane, signaled to the stands for a drink. Initially thrown water by the fans, the fluid spilt out, and Ferrucci then requested a can of beer be thrown to him—a gesture with which the fans gladly complied. The podium finisher wasted little time cracking open the beer and gulping it down before acknowledging the fan in appreciation.

Shifting focus to the race action at the Road America event, the Wisconsin race proved to be one of the most grueling for several drivers, including Santino Ferrucci, as many were forced into strict fuel-saving strategies. Following the conclusion of the race, a flurry of drivers parked their cars just at the pit entry with no more fuel onboard to drive them into the pit lane.

Santino Ferrucci reacted after the Road America podium

After quenching his thirst, Santino Ferrucci took to the media to share his thoughts on his outing at the IndyCar Road America event. The American driver, who climbed up the grid from 18th place, finished on the podium at the Wisconsin event.

Ferrucci did well to expertly avoid the flurry of crashes and restarts that heralded the initial phase of the race to record his second podium of the campaign. Sharing his thoughts following the conclusion of the race via IndyCar on FOX, he stated:

“Man, you know, all I could think to myself was, we are doing this for Marlyn [Sexton]. And you know, they were counting down the laps, and I told Mike I had to focus, because this is getting stressful. He let me drive. Honestly, the crew did an amazing job—awesome job on the stops. I stalled it too. You know, even with the stall, coming back and finishing the way we did was pretty amazing.”

Further dedicating the podium to Marlyn Sexton, Santino Ferrucci continued:

“Like I said, this one goes to Marlyn. She was riding with us today. I am very proud, and this one tastes a little bit sweeter.”

In the lead-up to the Road America race, Santino Ferrucci and the AJ Foyt team had announced they would be sporting a special black livery in honour of Marlyn Sexton, one of the team’s longest-serving sponsors and philanthropists. The podium finish for Ferrucci was also his second in the last three races, as he picked up a second-place finish at the Detroit Grand Prix in Michigan.

Edited by Sumeet Kavthale