Marcus Ericsson’s Indy 500 Runner-Up Finish Demoted After Penalties

The 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 took a wild turn after three drivers, including runner-up Marcus Ericsson, got disqualified. This twist changes the race results, prize money, and team standings in a big way.

The penalties came down because of violations involving modifications to the Dallara-supplied Energy Management Systems (EMS) covers and other parts. These changes impacted the final race standings and the financial rewards for the teams involved.

Disqualifications and Rule Violations

The day after the race, three disqualifications hit the news. The No. 90 entry of Callum Ilott from Prema and two Andretti Global drivers—Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson—were all caught up in it.

Officials said these were technical violations that broke the INDYCAR rulebook. The details are a bit technical, but let’s break them down.

Details of the Violations

The No. 27 and No. 28 Andretti cars failed post-race inspection because someone made unauthorized tweaks to the Dallara-supplied EMS covers and the cover-to-A-arm mounting points. They used unapproved spacers and parts, which gave them better aerodynamic efficiency. In a race where every millisecond matters, that’s a big deal.

Callum Ilott’s No. 90 Prema entry had a different issue. The car didn’t meet the minimum endplate height and location specs for the front wing. Because of this, Ilott dropped from 12th to 33rd place.

Implications for the Teams and Drivers

The teams and drivers are feeling the sting. Marcus Ericsson, who crossed the line second, got bumped all the way down to 31st place.

Kyle Kirkwood and Callum Ilott also slid to the last three spots, now sitting at 32nd and 33rd. Ouch.

Financial and Competitive Impact

The money lost here is no joke. Last year, the runner-up at Indy took home over a million bucks, while the back row gets low six figures. The demotion means a serious hit to the teams’ wallets.

On top of that, each team faces a $100,000 fine. The competition managers for all three entries will sit out the next race in Detroit with a one-race suspension.

The teams can appeal, but the damage to the standings and finances is already done.

Revised Race Standings

With these disqualifications, the race standings got a big shakeup. David Malukas now moves up to the runner-up spot, with Pato O’Ward right behind him.

This reshuffle affects the championship points and the whole season’s outlook.

Marcus Ericsson’s Reaction

For Marcus Ericsson, this one stings. It was his second runner-up finish since winning the Indy 500 in 2022.

After losing the lead to Alex Palou with 13 laps left, Ericsson spent the night replaying his choices. It’s going to keep me up at night, how I played that last stint with those lapped cars, he told IndyCar on Fox. What could I have done different? What should I have done different?

Honestly, there’s a weird silver lining. If he’d held off Palou and won, he’d be losing an Indy 500 victory right now. That would be even harder to swallow.

Previous Disqualifications and Rule Enforcement

And, this isn’t the first time disqualifications have hit teams for modified parts this week. Earlier, Penske’s Indy 500 qualifying entries for Josef Newgarden and Will Power got disqualified for using blended rear attenuators on their Chevrolets.

These incidents highlight just how strict INDYCAR’s technical rules are. They’re not messing around.

INDYCAR’s Commitment to Fair Play

INDYCAR says they enforce these rules to keep things fair. The penalties send a message: if you try to get an edge with unauthorized modifications, you’re going to pay for it.

That level of commitment to fair play really matters for the sport’s integrity.

Looking Ahead

Now, as teams get ready for the next race in Detroit, the fallout from these disqualifications lingers. The new standings and penalties will shape strategies and probably morale, too.

For Ericsson, Kirkwood, and Ilott, it’s all about bouncing back and proving themselves in the races ahead. Let’s see what happens next.

Future Implications for the Teams

The disqualifications really put the spotlight on just how crucial it is for teams to follow technical regulations. If they want to avoid future penalties, they’ll have to double-check that every car meets the specs—no shortcuts.

The financial hit, not to mention the blow to their standings, is a pretty harsh wake-up call. Motorsports doesn’t exactly forgive mistakes when the stakes are this high.

Curious about the details? You can check out the full story on Road & Track.