Marcus Ericsson and Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global faced a major setback after their cars failed post-race technical inspections for illegal modifications at the 2025 Indy 500. The incident, which occurred in a closely contested race, saw both drivers’ finishes moved to the rear of the field, stripping them of their original positions and associated prize money and championship points. Ericsson, who had finished behind winner Alex Palou, was relegated to 31st place, while Kirkwood’s sixth-place finish was adjusted to 32nd. As a result, both drivers lost the financial and competitive advantages associated with their original finishes, with their teams facing fines and penalties.
The technical violations involved modifications to the Energy Management System covers provided by Dallara, the company that supplies the chassis for the series. According to IndyCar, these parts must be used as supplied, and the changes made by Andretti Global were deemed illegal. The penalties included a $100,000 fine for each team, as well as the suspension of their competition managers for the upcoming race on the streets of Detroit. This financial impact was significant, given the record purse of $20,283,000 for the 2025 Indy 500, with the winner, Alex Palou, set to receive $3.8 million. Ericsson’s potential earnings of up to $1 million for second place were now reduced to $610,500 for finishing 31st, while Kirkwood’s earnings were similarly adjusted to $607,500 for 32nd place.
The race’s outcome was further affected as the disqualifications altered the podium finishers. David Malukas of A.J. Foyt Racing moved up to second place, and Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren took third. This marked the best Indy 500 finish in 25 years for the Foyt team, with combined results including Santino Ferrucci’s adjusted fifth-place finish. Meanwhile, Callum Ilott of Prema Racing also failed inspection due to failing to meet minimum endplate height specifications, resulting in his finish being moved to last place in the race. The incident highlights the strict enforcement of technical rules in IndyCar racing, which can have significant consequences for teams and drivers, both in terms of competition and financial implications.