The 2025 Firestone Indy NXT Series is the ongoing 39th season of the Indy NXTopen wheelauto racing series and the 23rd sanctioned by IndyCar, acting as the primary support series for the IndyCar Series. This is the third year of the championship running under the Indy NXT moniker following its acquisition by Penske Entertainment, the owner of the IndyCar Series, in 2022.[1]
All teams use Dallara IL-15 cars with an AER produced Mazda sourced 2.0 litre engine and Firestone tires. The following drivers and teams are contracted to compete in the series.
On September 4, 2024, IndyCar team Chip Ganassi Racing announced its return to the Indy NXT series with a two-car effort.[13] CGR last competed in Indy NXT's predecessor Indy Lights in 2008.
On February 13, 2025, Juncos Hollinger Racing announced it had elected to temporarily step back from competing in Indy NXT to focus on their IndyCar efforts, thereby relinquishing their 2025 entry despite having already signed Miguel María García to drive one of their cars.[29]
On January 16, 2024, Andretti and Cape Motorsports announced Salvador de Alba would be driving the No. 2 car of the newly formed Andretti Cape partnership in 2024. This announcement also included that de Alba's 2025 Indy NXT program would see him move over to Andretti Global.[8]
On September 26, 2024, it was announced that Myles Rowe and the Force Indy program supporting him would switch to Abel Motorsports for the 2025 season to field the No. 99 Abel Motorsports with Force Indy car.[6]
On October 14, 2024, HMD Motorsport announced two further drivers for its 2024 campaign: Bryce Aron, who would depart Andretti Global, with whom he came ninth in his debut season in 2024, and former NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Hailie Deegan, who would make her series debut.[26][25]
On October 18, 2024, Andretti Global announced that Formula 2 driver Dennis Hauger would pilot the No. 28 car, thereby completing the team's lineup.[9]
On October 24, 2024, Andretti Global announced Ricardo Escotto would pilot the No. 3 car run under the Andretti Cape Indy NXT guise in technical partnership with Cape Motorsports, thereby entering his first full Indy NXT season after contesting five races in 2024 with Juncos Hollinger Racing.[12]
On October 30, 2024, Chip Ganassi Racing announced the driver lineup for their return to Indy NXT. It consists of two drivers departing HMD Motorsports in Jonathan Browne, who finished the 2024 season in 13th, and Niels Koolen, who finished his part-time 2024 campaign in 20th.[14]
On November 25, 2024, Abel Motorsports announced that Callum Hedge would join the team for his second Indy NXT season, departing HMD Motorsports after coming fourth in 2024.[3]
On December 11, 2024, it was announced Yuven Sundaramoorthy, who was slated to drive for Abel Motorsports,[32] had to withdraw due to “unforeseen budget challenges.”[33]
On December 14, 2024, Abel Motorsports announced that Jordan Missig, who contested five races with the team in 2024 as a replacement for Josh Mason, would race full-time for the team in 2025.[4]
On December 19, 2024, HMD Motorsports announced that FIA F3 and endurance racing driver Sophia Flörsch would join the team for the 2025 season, making her Indy NXT debut.[23]
On January 13, 2025, Dale Coyne Racing announced that Jacob Abel would join the team for a full-time IndyCar step-up in 2025.[34]
On February 13, 2025, Juncos Hollinger Racing announced it had elected to temporarily step back from competing in Indy NXT to focus on their IndyCar efforts, thereby eliminating Miguel María García on the 2025 grid.[29]
On March 27, 2025, HMD Motorsports announced that Sophia Flörsch would not continue her campaign in the No. 24 car and exit the team and the series after just one race.[35] The team announced on April 29 that Evagoras Papasavvas would pilot that car at Barber Motorsports Park, making his Indy NXT debut a month earlier than originally planned.[22]
On April 29, 2025, Chip Ganassi Racing announced that Bryce Aron would take over its No. 9 entry after Jonathan Browne was forced to end his campaign due to budget issues. Aron therefore left HMD Motorsports and the No. 39 car after a single round.[15]
On May 7, 2025, HMD Motorsports announced that IMSA driver Juan Manuel Correa would make his US open-wheel debut in the No. 39 entry vacated by Aron.[27]
On May 14, 2025, HMD Motorsports announced that sprint car racer Davey Hamilton Jr. would drive the No. 24 entry vacated by Flörsch at the four oval events of the season, returning to Indy NXT after last entering three races in its predecessor series in 2016 and 2018.[36]
