IndyCar Weekly: Familiar faces, family ties and fond farewells

Credit: Dominic Loyer

It's now been over two months since the chequered flag at Nashville Superspeedway concluded the 2025 IndyCar season. The on-track action may have stopped, but there remains plenty of news up and down the IndyCar and Indy NXT paddocks, with IndyCar Weekly providing your round-up for the last seven days. With retirements announced, more signings in Indy NXT and key end-of-year testing, there's plenty to look back on this week.

Andretti announces retirement from motorsport

2026 will mark the first Indianapolis 500 since 2001 without an Andretti participating | Credit: Matt Fraver

After 20 years in-and-around the IndyCar paddock, Marco Andretti has announced his retirement from motorsport. Marco, son of CART champion Michael and grandson of 1978 Formula One World Champion Mario, raced full-time in IndyCar between 2006 and 2020. He has since participated in an Indianapolis 500-only programme for the team that bears his fathers' name since 2021.

“To my family, friends, teams, sponsors and fans who have genuinely supported me for the last 30 years in motorsports, I want to thank you for allowing me the privilege to continue our family’s passion on the racetrack,” Andretti said. “I have had some really fun times behind the wheel in a lot of different types of racing cars – a lot of great memories, as well, mostly at the Indy 500.

“Today, I am announcing my retirement from motor racing and the Indianapolis 500. That totals 20 starts at the Speedway, which I feel so fortunate to be able to say. That is ranked 12th all-time. Not bad for a 38-year-old.”

Andretti's IndyCar career saw him in Victory Lane twice with 20 podium finishes and six pole positions - most notably when he led the field to green for 104th Running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2020. The 38-year-old has been a feature of every Indianapolis 500 since 2006 - the year where he came closest to victory after being overtaken by Sam Hornish Jr. on the final lap. Andretti finished third on three occasions at the '500', but has not had a top 10 finish since 2017.

Andretti's final Indianapolis 500 campaign lasted just a singular corner after being caught up in an incident with Jack Harvey and Ryan Hunter-Reay, just a week after he survived being the individual bumped from the field.

"Competing at the top level of North American motorsport is and has been an honour for me, even in the tough times," Andretti continued. "That is where I can look back and say I have made my best progress in life as a man. Learning to navigate very difficult dynamics at times, and others doubting me, made me realise that my opinion of myself is the one that should matter the most.

Andretti entered the series as a 19-year-old in 2006 after winning the Skip Barber National Championship in 2004 before impressing in the Star Mazda Championship and Indy Lights the following year. His rookie season in 2006 saw him claim both the IndyCar Rookie of the Year and the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year.

“I am proud of my overall stats at the Indy 500. I had six very legitimate shots at victory with Andretti Autosport and ended up with 20 percent top 3 finishes at the Speedway. It feels accomplishing to me to be able to retire having more podium finishes than my father Michael and the same as my grandfather Mario at the biggest race in the world.

“I will never forget the rare circumstance of getting to race my dad in the closing laps for the win there — the pressure of participating in a dramatic Bump Day in 2011 to a pole position in 2020. That is what the Indianapolis 500 produces: extremes on both ends. That is why I love and appreciate it so much."

Outside of racing in IndyCar, Andretti raced in the American Le Mans Series, A1GP and the IMSA SportsCar Championship whilst also competing for Rebellion Racing at the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans. Andretti also had a Formula E cameo in 2015 at Buenos Aires.

In recent seasons, Andretti raced in the defunct Superstar Racing Experience, where he won the championship in 2022. Andretti also made appearances in both the NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series as well as the National, East and West ARCA Championships.

“I am very much at peace with the next chapter in my life after dedicating three decades to the sport. I will be prioritizing most of my time on being a great father to my daughter, Miura, and tending to my other business ventures.”

“Lastly, a special thank-you to a lot of the people I respect in motor racing for the kind words about my driving, work ethic, and true character.”

Andretti has stated he plans to work on business ventures and is set to write a memoir titled: 'Defending the Dynasty.' Andretti's daughter, Miura, has recently turned one year old, with Andretti planning to devote more time to family life.

With the usual fourth Andretti Global entry for the Indianapolis 500 now vacated, it leaves a question mark on if that seat will be filled and if so, by whom? There have been suggestions that Colton Herta could be a possibility to step into the No.98 with his Formula 2 campaign not hitting the track for the entirety of May next year.

Herta confirmed for IMSA races with Cadillac

Herta has won in class at the Daytona 24 Hours twice | Credit: Lorena Barros

Speaking of Herta - yes, he may no longer be an IndyCar driver - but it'd be rude to not include him on IndyCar Weekly for the time being.

The 25-year-old, who had his move to Hitech GP in Formula 2 confirmed last week, has been announced for further racing activities in 2026 as he will join forces with Cadillac's IMSA team for three endurance races next year.

Herta has already been announced as Cadillac's test driver as they prepare to Formula One next season and will race for the marque in IMSA too. Herta's campaign will start off with the Daytona 24 Hour in January, followed by the 12 Hours of Sebring in March before rounding out the season with the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in October. Herta will be placed in the No.40 Wayne Taylor Racing entry where he will share duties with Louis Delétraz and Jordan Taylor.

"Super excited to join Cadillac WTR for the endurance rounds next year," Herta said. "We had some success last time I was with the team, and I hope to continue that. Jordan and Louis are some of the best drivers in the business, and it’s a pleasure to join them on this adventure.”

“We are delighted that Colton can join Jordan and Louis in the No.40 Cadillac WTR V-Series.R for the endurance events," said Wayne Taylor. "The trio has been a great match and had great success working together in 2024. Our team has so much positivity going into 2026.”

Herta ran the same campaign in 2024 alongside Delétraz and Taylor, when the team were racing Acura's and affiliated with Andretti. The season saw the trio victorious at the 12 Hours of Sebring and finished third at the 24 Hours of Daytona.

For any other fans on #exIndyCarDriverWatch , Tom Blomqvist and Colin Braun were confirmed to continue in the No.60 Meyer Shank Racing entry this week, whilst one-time IndyCar test driver Jack Aitken has been confirmed to return the No.31 Cadillac Whelen Engineering entry.

Indy NXT completes important post-season test

The test bears the name of Chris Griffis, former team manager for Schmidt Peterson who died suddenly in 2011 | Credit: Chris Owens

As mentioned in last weeks IndyCar Weekly, Indy NXT embarked on their most significant post-season test with 24 drivers in action at the annual Chris Griffis Memorial test on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.

The test was dominated by Andretti Global, with the team locking out the top three times of the test. Seb Murray topped the times in his first outing in Andretti colours after making the switch from Cape Motorsport this off-season with a time of 1:14.5035.

"I had a lot of things I needed to work on from last season," Murray said exclusively to DIVEBOMB. "We went into that test not worrying about where we were on the timing sheets, but I went out and fixed the things we needed to do and the car was there all day, really really quick. The team were quick all day and it was nice to finish at the top of the charts"

Murray was followed by Max Taylor and Josh Pierson with Lochie Hughes rounding out the Andretti efforts in sixth. Nikita Johnson finished as the top non-Andretti car in fourth as he sported Ed Carpenter Racing colours after they announced their move into the series with Cape Motorsport last week.

AJ Foyt Racing were also present at an Indy NXT test for the first time, with Alessandro de Tullio rounding out the top five in times. Foyt announced their own partnership with HMD Motorsports last week too, as they prepare two field two entries in Indy NXT next season.

1728 laps were completed amongst the 24 drivers throughout the days' running with Pierson turning the most laps at 100 total.

The test also gave a crucial insight into who teams are evaluating ahead of 2026, with several seats still up for grabs.

As mentioned last week, Abel Motorsports (Jordan Missig, Colin Kaminsky, Myles Rowe, Max Garcia), Andretti Global (Lochie Hughes, Max Taylor, Seb Murray, Josh Pierson) and Cusick Morgan Motorsports (Juan Manuel Correa, Nicholas Stati) ran with the line-ups they already have in place for 2026, with Nikita Johnson racing in the Cape Motorsports seat that he already had confirmed

Alongside Johnson was Ariel Elkin, who finished runner-up in the USF Pro 2000 Championship this year, the step below Indy NXT on the Road to Indy ladder. AJ Foyt Racing fielded De Tullio and Nicholas Monteiro who finished fourth and 10th respectively in the same championship.

Chip Ganassi Racing had both their 2025 drivers back in Niels Koolen and Bryce Aron whilst Tommy Smith tested for the team, the Australian having raced with HMD Motorsports for a full season in 2025. Their line-up was completed by Carson Etter, who finished 17th in the USF Pro Championship this year.

Juncos Hollinger Racing's cars were driven by Brady Golan and Alexander Koreiba. Koreiba tested for the team at the same test 12 months ago before the team announced that they were taking a hiatus from the series in 2025. Golan ran a dual campaign between Formula Regional Americas and USF Pro 2000 last season.

The most intriguing line-up though was the one fielded by HMD Motorsports, who entered a line-up entirely composed of those racing on the F1 ladder of Jack Beeton, Enzo Fittipaldi (more on those two in a minute), Tymek Kucharczyk and Victor Martins.

Martins bears a striking resemblance to that of Dennis Hauger, who first drove an Indy NXT car at the Chris Griffis Memorial Test last year on his way to an Indy NXT Championship. Martins won the FIA Formula 3 championship the year following Hauger, but like the Norwegian has struggled to make a significant impact in three seasons of racing in Formula 2. Martins is currently a member of the Williams Driver Academy and completed an FP1 session for the team in Spain earlier this year. Unlike Hauger who topped the timing sheets 12 months ago, Martins could only manage 12th with 65 laps completed.

HMD confirm two drivers for 2026 Indy NXT seasons

Following the test, HMD Motorsports have confirmed two of the four drivers that will be racing for them next year in Indy NXT. The team have previously fielded up to 10 entries, but new regulations limit them to just four heading into next year. Following this, the team announced partnerships with both Cusick Morgan Motorsports and AJ Foyt Racing with the two teams combining to create an additional four HMD-supported cars.

Beeton announced for US switch with HMD

Beeton will be the third Australian in the field alongside Hughes and Stati | Credit: Paul Hurley

Just two days after completing the Chris Griffis Memorial Test, Beeton was confirmed as the first HMD driver for the 2026 Indy NXT season.

Beeton has been racing single-seaters since 2023, most notably winning the Formula 4 South East Asia championship in 2023 and finishing runner-up in the Italian F4 championship last year. Beeton spent 2025 racing in the Formula Regional European (FREC) and Middle East (FRMEC) championships, winning a singular race at Losail in the latter.

“I’m excited to join HMD Motorsports and take the next step in my career,” Beeton said. “Competing in Indy NXT will be an important challenge, and I’m looking forward to gaining experience and building on the open-wheel success I’ve had so far. The team has already made me feel at home, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Beeton previously tested with HMD at Autobahn Country Club in September and has another test planned at Barber Motorsports Park in November.

“Jack showed impressive pace during his first outing with us at the Driver Evaluation Autobahn Test,” HMD Motorsports Team President Mike Maurini said. “Jack is a proven race winner at every level of his motorsports journey, and he has a bright career ahead of him. He has already shown the focus and determination needed to take on this challenge, and we’re confident in his ability to continue learning and developing with the team.”

HMD has a proven track record in Indy NXT ever since it joined the championship in 2019. Linus Lundqvist and Christian Rasmussen won championships with the team in 2022 and 2023 respectively, with the team fielding the Indy NXT vice-champion this year in Caio Collet. Other IndyCar alumni for the team include Toby Sowery, David Malukas, Benjamin Pedersen, Kyffin Simpson and Nolan Siegel.

Fittipaldi confirmed for return to the Road to Indy ladder

Pietro was present at Monday's test | Credit: Paul Hurley

It didn't take long for HMD to announce their second driver for 2026 with Fittipaldi also being confirmed as one of their drivers for 2026 at the conclusion of Monday's test.

Despite being 24-years-old, Fittipaldi already has a wealth of experience in motorsport, particularly in single-seaters. The Brazilian won the Italian F4 championship in 2018 and finished runner-up in FREC the following year. Fittipaldi raced in F3 for a year-and-a-half before completing three-and-a-half years in Formula 2 which saw Fittipaldi claim two victories and a further 11 podiums.

2025 saw Fittipaldi race in the European Le Mans Series for CLX Motorsport in the LMP2 class, where the team finished sixth in the championship, earning a podium finish at the Circuit Paul Ricard.

“I’m proud to begin this new chapter with HMD Motorsports in the 2026 Indy NXT season,” Enzo Fittipaldi said. “Racing in Europe gave me valuable experience that made me a stronger driver. Now feels like the perfect time to take this step. My goal is IndyCar, and this season is where that journey begins.”

Despite Fittipaldi's extensive racing career in Europe, he already has familiarity with the IndyCar paddock. He drove a partial campaign in the Indy Pro 2000 championship in 2021 before he signed with Charouz for campaigns in F3 and F2 later in the year.

Fittipaldi has also tested Indy cars on multiple occasions - first testing for Dale Coyne Racing at Sebring in October 2023. Fittipaldi tested with Arrow McLaren at The Thermal Club in November 2024 before returning to the papaya-coloured outfit for a test at Sebring last month.

“Enzo brings an incredible mix of talent and experience,” HMD Motorsports President Mike Maurini said. “His background in Formula 2, endurance racing and high-level testing will make him a strong competitor in Indy NXT and a valuable resource for our younger drivers. I’ve known the Fittipaldi family since our karting days, and it’s great to be working with them again as we help Enzo progress toward the top of North American motorsport.”

The Miami-born driver comes from one of the most notable families in motorsport, with five of his relatives previously racing in F1. Grandfather Emerson is the most famous of the Fittipaldi family, winning F1 World Championships in both 1972 and 1974, claiming 14 wins in 144 starts. Emerson also claimed Indianapolis 500 victories in both 1989 and 1993 but is still season as a villain at the Speedway after he infamously drunk orange juice before drinking the milk to promote the citrus industry.

Enzo's uncle, Max Papis, also raced in CART and IndyCar, claiming three victories in eight full-time seasons whilst also competing in two Indianapolis 500's and failing to qualify for a third. His first cousin-once-removed, Christian, also raced in CART between 1995 and 2002, claiming two victories, whilst finishing second in the 1995 Indianapolis 500. Great-uncle Wilson also previously raced in F1.

Enzo also shares a very close relationship with his brother Pietro, who raced in IndyCar in three different stints including for Dale Coyne Racing in both 2018 and 2021 and most recently Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, where he raced full-time for the team in 2024.