Inside AJ Foyt Racing’s transition: Hauger’s arrival, Ferrucci’s future, and the Pierson waiting game

AJ Foyt Racing is reshaping its IndyCar line-up after signing Dennis Hauger to drive the #14 Chevrolet in the IndyCar Series.

While the roster shift marks a new chapter for the entry, team president Larry Foyt outlined how the organization plans to manage its driver lineup, potential future expansion, and ongoing technical partnerships in an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com. 

Ferrucci set to remain involved

Santino Ferrucci, AJ Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet

Photo by: Penske Entertainment

Santino Ferrucci served four seasons behind the wheel of the #14 entry, establishing stability and delivering strong performances, including a near-victory in the 2023 Indianapolis 500. While Hauger takes over the full-time seat, Ferrucci’s relationship with the team remains intact, with active discussions regarding a potential third Indy 500 entry or reserve duties.

“It's been a great four years with Santino and it's not over,” Foyt said. “He's going to still be a part of the team in a bunch of different ways. He'll still be with us working with the program. So, we're excited to carry that on,” Foyt said. “It was time to try something with Dennis becoming available. We thought it was a good time for that. So, it's exciting. Santino's great. He's a great driver, a great friend, and a great ambassador for the team. So, that's going to all continue.”

Addressing the possibility of a third car for Indianapolis, Foyt confirmed, “Yeah, there's definitely potential for that. So, we're working on that now.” 

While updated rules with the charter situation prohibits running an open car at any other events outside of the Indy 500, Foyt added that Ferrucci would be available in a reserve role.

“He'll definitely be available if we do have an issue with any of our drivers or if anyone has an injury,” Foyt said. “Santino would be there to step in.”

Reflecting on their work over the past four seasons, Foyt emphasized the close relationship built during their time together. 

“I think he and I just really had a great bond,” Foyt said. “I think we got closer than I have with any other driver. I mean, we just – whether it was going to dinner and talking about racing and always thinking about how we get it better, where are we headed with this. He really was invested in the team with me, so that was really great. 

“On track, there were certainly some highs. I mean, when we had a chance to win the 500 that first year was certainly an amazing day, and we got so close it makes you just want it more. We know he's always a threat to win there. It really was a journey together as we were building the team to where we wanted it to be.

“Yeah, a lot of great memories together. Obviously the podiums are great, him catching the beer (after finishing third at Road America in 2025). Just some fond memories, but like I say, he's going to still be with the team because we want all that to continue, and I think he wants to stay with the team, and he feels like he's got a home here. So, we're going to continue with that.”

Building around Dennis Hauger

Dennis Hauger, Dale Coyne Racing (2026)

Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / Lumen via Getty Images

There's no denying Hauger brings a strong junior single-seater record to the #14 program. A former Formula 3 champion, Red Bull Junior driver, and Indy NXT champion, Hauger claimed IndyCar Rookie of the Year honors this past season with Dale Coyne Racing. Foyt signed Hauger to a multi-year deal, seeing him as a focal point to build around moving forward.

“We see a lot of potential. Obviously, if you look at his resume and his body of work, he's been successful in basically everything he's done. I think he's won races at every level,” Foyt said. 

“We saw what he did when he came over to the U.S. and how he did in Indy NXT was amazing. I just think he's got a great attitude, a great personality that will fit with our sponsors and with Home for Our Troops. There's a lot of positives and a lot of great potential out of Dennis. We felt like it was a good time to go that route and start building around him.”

The contract negotiations unfolded rapidly once timing aligned with sponsorship renewals. 

“It happened very quickly. It just all kind of happened together as we were renegotiating our sponsor contracts and things of that nature. And then we got word that he was available and just had a couple of conversations. It was just one of those things where just everything aligned the right way to make that happen.” 

Foyt also believes the team’s technical alliance with Penske was attractive to Hauger.

“I think he was keen to obviously stay in the series, and coming to a place where there is a good alliance together and getting to work a little bit with that bigger team as well was probably very interesting to him,” Foyt said. So I think all of it just aligned and came together really quickly. 

“It was easy. It was probably the easiest one I've ever had, yeah.”

Pierson waits on licensing decision

#7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Josh Pierson

Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images

AJ Foyt Racing continues to evaluate options for its second car, with 20-year-old Josh Pierson standing out as a primary candidate. Pierson spent the past four seasons in Indy NXT, with the most recent seeing him capture a maiden series win at Laguna Seca, along with two poles, two additional podiums, and leading a series-high 108 laps. Funding is not the obstacle; Pierson’s status is instead tied to IndyCar’s revised driver licensing criteria for 2027. 

Despite the current regulatory delay, Foyt remains high on Pierson's trajectory and late-season momentum. 

“I think Josh has shown enough to deserve a shot at IndyCar,” Foyt said. “If you look at it, he's still super young, only 20 years old. It was great that he got his breakthrough win at Laguna Seca, dominated that race, led the most laps of the whole Indy NXT series, got a pole on an oval, and got a pole on a road course. Very well could have won Milwaukee. 

“Right now, I think we're still looking that way because we think he deserves a chance.”

One of the examples Foyt highlighted was Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyffin Simpson, who never won a race during his two seasons in Indy NXT, but just completed his third campaign in IndyCar and finished 13th in the championship standings, directly ahead of outgoing teammate and six-time series champion Scott Dixon.

“I think if you see a lot of these young guys that maybe didn't accomplish everything they wanted to in Indy NXT, look at Kyffin Simpson, he finished 13th in the championship this year right behind Scott Dixon, that's pretty impressive,” Foyt said. 

“Josh showed late in this last Indy NXT season, which what Indy NXT is for, really, is to train these guys for IndyCar. I'd argue that the last few weeks of the Indy NXT season, Josh was the man to beat. I think that's something you've got to look at.”

Maintaining the Team Penske alliance

David Malukas in 2025, racing for A. J. Foyt Enterprises

Photo by: Penske Entertainment

AJ Foyt Racing’s technical partnership with Team Penske will also continue next season ahead of IndyCar's next-generation car — the IR-28 — set for 2028. 

Foyt clarified that while past driver movements involved transitioning talent like David Malukas, securing Hauger on a multi-year deal is directly aimed at building for the long-term within Foyt's own program.

“The relationship with Penske is fantastic, and it does continue next year,” Foyt said. “Also, though, with Dennis, part of why we did sign him to a multi-year deal is because we're looking to build our program as well, not just… What we did with David was fantastic, and it worked well for everybody. He showed our cars had a lot of speed, and it worked out for the Penske group as well, for him to transfer over there, so that worked great.

“But this isn't that same thing with Dennis. We hired Dennis because we see the potential there, and we think that he can show a lot of speed in our cars. Unfortunately, this last year, it was a frustrating year, because we didn't get the results, and we didn't live up to the expectations that we all had for the program with Santino and with Caio (Collet). I think Caio showed a lot of speed, and we just had, unfortunately, mistakes. When it looked like we were set up for a good result, we couldn't get it across the line there. That wasn't all Caio's fault. A lot of times, it was a mistake we made. Unfortunately, he had some incidents as well, but that's just racing, right?”

Looking ahead to the lineup reset, Foyt noted, “With Santino, for some reason, it was a struggle this year. Indianapolis was still good, which was great, but Santino was frustrated as well, that we weren't showing the speed and getting the results that we thought were possible. That's just racing sometimes. You have an off year. 

“We wanted to do a little reset here and focus on building something as we look forward to this new car. Santino is going to be a part of it. It's all positive things.”