Santino Ferrucci
An American racer who clawed his way from European open-wheel obscurity to become a consistent, hard-nosed competitor in the IndyCar Series.
Born 1998 (age 28)·American racing driver·Birthday: May 31·Generation Z
Biography
Santino Ferrucci finished ninth at the 2023 Indianapolis 500, his third top-ten result in four starts at the race. Born in 1998 in Connecticut, he began racing in European junior formulae, reaching the FIA Formula 2 Championship. A controversial suspension forced him to leave Europe. Returning to the United States, he drove in NASCAR before joining A.J. Foyt Enterprises in IndyCar. Ferrucci drives with an aggressive, old-school style, particularly on ovals. He has matured into a reliable points finisher. His bold passing at Indianapolis has earned him multiple top-ten finishes. The path was unconventional, but Ferrucci rebuilt his reputation through tenacity. His journey proves that second acts can be forged on speed and determination.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Santino was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Santino Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Santino's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Achieved a career-best finish of 3rd place in the 2023 Indianapolis 500.
- Secured a full-time IndyCar Series seat with the historic A.J. Foyt Enterprises team in 2023.
- Finished as the 2021 IndyCar Rookie of the Year runner-up after a partial season campaign.
Did You Know?
He is an avid pilot and owns his own airplane.
Ferrucci famously raced with a broken hand sustained in a crash at the 2021 Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
He has a pet pig named Kevin who has a significant social media following.
“This car is a weapon, and I'm here to win races, not make friends.”
