For a certain subset of the racing community, it was never Santino Ferrucci’s ability to drive a race car that needed a redemption arc.

Instead, it was his behavior.

The 21-year-old from Woodbury, Connecticut, has marveled in his rookie IndyCar season for Dale Coyne Racing, posting six top-10s in 14 starts. He is currently just nine points behind four-time championship-winning teammate Sebastien Bourdais for 10th in the point standings.

That is quite the remarkable achievement.

But there has been a degree of rejection from certain pockets of the sport's fandom over the weekly praise the NBC Sports television booth has heaped upon him. The narrative has been that Ferrucci has redeemed himself, on the track, for his various misdeeds while in Europe chasing a Formula 1 career, but without having directly addressed those incidents since coming back to the United States.

Ferrucci was once handed a fine in Formula 2 for texting and driving, gloveless in his race car, while transitioning to the grid prior to a race.

He was suspended for two races later that season for intentionally rear-ending Trident Racing teammate Arjun Maini during a cool-down lap and ignoring the subsequent FIA order to attend a hearing over the matter.

There were allegations of racial slurs used by Ferrucci to Maini in the aftermath of the incident.

There was also the polarizing matter of his request to run a livery in support of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign: the would-be car reading "Trump -- Make America Great Again."

The latter was denied by the FIA under article 10.6.2(a) of the international sporting code that prohibits "competitors taking part in international competitions (and) affix(ing) to their automobiles advertising that is political in nature."

All the meanwhile, Ferrucci expressed the confidence and exuberance of a teenager who could race at a high level. But when combined with everything else, this simply left a negative impression on many who observed him.

The entire ordeal cost him a development driver agreement with Haas F1 Team and got him fired from Trident Racing. He was ordered to pay $575,000 in damages by that team.

So, while television praises Ferrucci’s considerably impressive performances this season, there are also other observers who are seemingly waiting for the youngster to slip up.

Ferrucci says he is aware of the criticism but isn’t acting any different than how he would otherwise. He says he is comfortable in the IndyCar garage and that what you’ve seen is authentic and natural to the New Englander.

"Coming back (to the States) has been more of a personal challenge more than anything to show that, you know, I can drive a race car, I can drive it fast," he said to Autoweek question during a press conference after practice at Gateway Motorsports Park. "I've also just been enjoying myself. I've been more myself, more open, had a lot more fun being back stateside than I ever had in Europe. Quite frankly, the reason I got into motorsports, racing. I've loved everything this year, everything that's happened."

But again, there were very few questions about Ferrucci’s ability to race at a high level. Does he regret any of the incidents in Europe that led him to IndyCar in the first place?

"Nope," Ferrucci said.

Ferrucci says he is used to the pressure and the expectation that he would slip up due to his European racing tenure. He also feels he has matured over the past two years and is better poised to handle the pressure.

"Obviously, I’m in a different place now mentally," he said. "I was under a super-high stress microscope in Formula 1, which is obviously a pinnacle of motorsport. You come here, get to be yourself.

"I don't feel any of that pressure. Quite frankly, this is like a family to me. These guys have been great to me all year long. I don't feel like anyone's really judged me coming back home and racing IndyCars. I feel like we've had a really strong year and can continue to capitalize on that."

Ferrucci is currently 12th in the championship standings and, following a fourth-place result at Pocono, has a shot to crack the top 10 in the championship standings. That mission will continue on Saturday at Gateway.

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