'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgP/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAKfVix//xAAfEAACAQQCAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAwIABAUiBgcRFFH/2gAIAQEAAT8A5p3nicZ2Q+3bjLz1+PXE0TdB2z9hBmtN1bOMfBiCQD9r/8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIA/9oACAECAQE/AJkN/8QAFREBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQD/2gAIAQMBAT8AW//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Indy 500 has been a rollercoaster race for Marcus Ericsson over the last half a decade. The Swedish driver won the race, almost became a back-to-back winner, and then barely managed to qualify the next year. Ericsson sat with IndyCar President, Doug Boles, and reflected on the greatest spectacle in racing.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s YouTube channel has been uploading episodes of the IMS and IndyCar President, Doug Boles, interviewing drivers in the lead up to the 2025 Indy 500. Marcus Ericsson was the recent driver whose episode was uploaded on the channel on April 17, 2025.
Boles asked Ericsson about the roller coaster journey at the IMS, as he won the race one year, and then barely managed to qualify for the event. Marcus Ericsson detailed what he learned from the ups and downs, and how it shifted his perspective and feelings about the Indy 500.
Trending
“It was a roller coaster, to say the least, last year, and I think going through it, it was extremely tough. Like you said the last couple years before that, I was fighting for the win, and then suddenly I'm standing there with a very real chance of missing out, even making the race,” said the Swedish driver (0:25 onwards)
“In a way, it shows the highs and lows that the speedway brings, and it makes me now, when I look back to it and have some distance to it, it makes me appreciate the speedway and the race even more.”
Marcus Ericsson was on the verge of not qualifying for the 2024 Indy 500, as only the Top 33 drivers made it to the race. The Swedish racer had shifted teams from CGR to Andretti Global for the 2024 season and found it difficult to embed himself within the team. Fortunately, the 34-year-old made the cut and started the race in P32.
Marcus Ericsson on ovals being an outlier during his maiden season with Andretti Global
Marcus Ericsson joined Andretti Global and was recognised as an oval specialist, winning the 2022 Indy 500, and finished P2 at the 2023 race, where Josef Newgarden just pipped the victory away from the Swedish driver.
However, the maiden season with Andretti was a disaster for Ericsson, as he retired from the Indy 500, Bommarito Automotive Group 500, Milwaukee Mile, and the Music City GP, all of them being oval races. Speaking about the same, Ericsson said (via The Race)
“I hardly finish any ovals!. I had a terrible record on the ovals which is- I felt myself at least going into last year, ovals was one of my biggest strengths as a driver, street courses and ovals is my two strong points. I think that ovals were the big outlier, where we didn't get any results out of it. That's something that we've been focusing on and making sure, we need to do that better.”
Marcus Ericsson finished 15th in the championship during the 2024 season with 297 points to his name. The Andretti Global driver's best result was the P2 finish at the Detroit street circuit.
