Kyle Kirkwood showcased grit and composure as he navigated chaos, contact, and front-wing damage to win the 2025 Detroit Grand Prix on Sunday.
The Andretti Global driver claimed his second victory of the season and fourth career IndyCar win, adding to his Long Beach triumph in April.
Starting third in the No. 27 Siemens AWS Honda, Kirkwood overcame multiple setbacks in Detroit, including a collision that left his front wing compromised, but managed to hold off late charges from Santino Ferrucci and Colton Herta to take the checkered flag.
He crossed the line with a 3.5931-second lead over Ferrucci, who delivered a career-best result and A.J. Foyt Racing’s top street course finish since 2015.
“This AWS Honda was on rails all weekend long,” said Kirkwood. “There were some challenges out there, that’s for sure. We had to pass our way back through a handful of times… It was definitely not a walk in the park, especially with that front-wing damage at the end.”
Strategic gambles and race-defining incidents shape the podium
The 100-lap event around the demanding 1.645-mile Detroit street circuit saw teams split on tire strategy, with 12 cars starting on softer alternate Firestone tires and 15 opting for the more durable primary compound.
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The strategy chess match was interrupted by five caution periods, including a critical crash on Lap 67 when Callum Ilott hit the barrier, prompting a pivotal sequence of pit stops.
Ferrucci, who started 21st, found himself at the front after pitting just before the caution. But it was Kirkwood’s relentless pace and daring overtakes that ultimately decided the race. He passed Marcus Armstrong, Kyffin Simpson, and finally Ferrucci in three consecutive laps (77 to 79), taking a lead he wouldn’t relinquish.
“The car was flawless, and on restarts, man, the car just came alive,” Kirkwood said. “I was actually super comfortable after that red flag came out. I was like, ‘This is going to work out in our favor here.’”
A red flag was triggered on Lap 84 following a heavy crash between Felix Rosenqvist and rookie Louis Foster, necessitating barrier repairs and halting the race for over 12 minutes. But Kirkwood kept his cool and pulled away on the restart, with Ferrucci fending off Herta’s final attacks to hold second.
“This was the best strategy we’ve ever had,” Ferrucci noted. “Kyle was so fast today. Congratulations to him and his team on this win.”
IndyCar Detroit Grand Prix 2025 – Results
| Pos | Driver | Team | Car # | Laps | Interval |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | K. Kirkwood | Andretti Global | 27 | 100 | Leader |
| 2 | S. Ferrucci | A.J. Foyt Enterprises | 14 | 100 | +3.5931 |
| 3 | C. Herta | Andretti Global | 26 | 100 | +4.9427 |
| 4 | W. Power | Team Penske | 12 | 100 | +5.4488 |
| 5 | K. Simpson | Chip Ganassi Racing | 8 | 100 | +6.2189 |
| 6 | M. Armstrong | Meyer Shank Racing | 66 | 100 | +8.5237 |
| 7 | P. O’Ward | Arrow McLaren | 5 | 100 | +9.1683 |
| 8 | C. Lundgaard | Arrow McLaren | 7 | 100 | +9.7823 |
| 9 | J. Newgarden | Team Penske | 2 | 100 | +18.7691 |
| 10 | A. Rossi | Ed Carpenter Racing | 20 | 100 | +19.4492 |
| 11 | S. Dixon | Chip Ganassi Racing | 9 | 100 | +19.9431 |
| 12 | S. McLaughlin | Team Penske | 3 | 100 | +20.4172 |
| 13 | M. Ericsson | Andretti Global | 28 | 100 | +20.7988 |
| 14 | D. Malukas | A.J. Foyt Enterprises | 4 | 100 | +21.5169 |
| 15 | R. Robb Sting | Juncos Hollinger Racing | 77 | 100 | +22.1711 |
| 16 | R. Shwartzman | Prema Racing | 83 | 100 | +29.0575 |
| 17 | C. Daly | Juncos Hollinger Racing | 76 | 100 | +33.6641 |
| 18 | J. Abel | Dale Coyne Racing | 51 | 100 | +48.9180 |
| 19 | N. Siegel | Arrow McLaren | 6 | 98 | +2 Laps |
| 20 | G. Rahal | Rahal Letterman Lanigan | 15 | 97 | +3 Laps |
| 21 | F. Rosenqvist | Meyer Shank Racing | 60 | 83 | DNF |
| 22 | L. Foster | Rahal Letterman Lanigan | 45 | 83 | DNF |
| 23 | D. DeFrancesco | Rahal Letterman Lanigan | 30 | 83 | DNF |
| 24 | C. Rasmussen | Ed Carpenter Racing | 21 | 80 | DNF |
| 25 | A. Palou | Chip Ganassi Racing | 10 | 72 | DNF |
| 26 | C. Ilott | Prema Racing | 90 | 66 | DNF |
| 27 | R. van Kalmthout | Dale Coyne Racing | 18 | 6 | DNF |
What’s next in the IndyCar calendar?
The championship battle also saw a shake-up. Points leader Alex Palou was taken out in a Turn 1 collision with David Malukas, marking his first result outside the top three all season. That DNF reduced his points lead to 90 over Pato O’Ward.
The next round of the 2025 IndyCar series will be the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 on June 15 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois.
