IndyCar Series teams will get back to business at a number of tracks for private testing in October.
The first test is set for next week on Wednesday at Mid-Ohio as new Indy NXT champion and new Dale Coyne Racing driver Dennis Hauger makes his debut with the team. Of the other combinations expected for Mid-Ohio, Team Penske is likely to use an evaluation day with one of its favorites in Porsche Penske Motorsport factory ace Felipe Nasr.
Nasr has gotten the testing call from Penske multiple times (including at Sebring in 2023 – main image), and while the Brazilian is signed to Porsche, the ex-Formula 1 driver and defending IMSA GTP champion would be hired in an instant by IndyCar’s top teams if he entered the driver market.
AJ Foyt Racing will make use of an evaluation day at Mid-Ohio with Indy NXT runner-up Caio Collet. The young Brazilian placed third in NXT on debut in 2024, improved to second in 2025, and has little to prove by returning for a third season. RACER understands an outing for Collet with Foyt at Mid-Ohio could be a precursor to joining the team – if the test goes well – in 2026.
At least one other team could join Coyne, Penske, and Foyt at Mid-Ohio. Juncos Hollinger Racing was thought to have Argentinian sports car and junior open-wheel talent Nico Varrone lined up to drive at Mid-Ohio, but the team tells RACER it will not be participating in the test.
Multiple teams will make use of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on Monday, October 13, with Rahal Letterman Lanigan and Mick Schumacher leading the list of interesting drivers. Andretti Global is also meant to test at Indy and is said to have its third-place Indy NXT driver Lochie Hughes in mind for an evaluation run. More teams are likely to appear for the day at IMS.
After Indy, Arrow McLaren is the first known team to have plans to test later in the month at Sebring International Raceway’s short course. Enzo Fittipaldi, who completed an evaluation day for the team last year, will get another outing with the team.
The younger brother of former IndyCar driver Pietro Fittipaldi, who spent three seasons in Formula 2 and has been competing in the European Le Mans Series’ LMP2 class in 2025, is tipped to switch to Indy NXT next year with HMD Motorsports.