The drivers who might make the switch to racing stateside from Europe

A common trend in recent seasons is for European based racers to make the switch from ‘the F1 ladder’ to the ‘Road to Indy’, with the aim of getting to IndyCar. Drivers like Louis Foster and Dennis Hauger have found recent successes in their efforts, but who is considering the plan this year?

Victor Martins

Probably the highest profile driver on this list, the former Alpine junior and FIA Formula 3 champion was driving F1 cars on a race weekend as recently as the Barcelona round of this season’s championship.

📸 Martins during FP1 with Williams this season.

His career in Formula 2 has yielded strong results, but he’s been desperately unlucky on other occasions and stuttered to season ends, failing to mount a serious challenge to the title.

He’s been testing Indy NXT with a view to racing there in 2026.

Tymek Kucharczyk

It’s certainly unusual that a series champion in Europe to not make the step to F3 or F2 but it’s possible that’s exactly what could happen for Polish hotshot Tymek Kucharczyk.

📸 EFO champion Kucharczyk.

Kucharczyk took the Euroformula Open Championship title in spectacular fashion with a ‘Lightning McQueen’ moment across the line with two other drivers.

📸 The Polish driver (centre) ‘just’ got over the line ahead of his challengers.

He’s tested Indy Pro 2000 and Indy NXT but it seems most likely the Pole will race in NXT. If his aim is IndyCar - it won’t be long till we see him there, he’s worth the hype.

Enzo Fittipaldi

2018 Italian F4 champion Fittipaldi is a multiple F2 race winner having spent time in the academies of both Ferrari and more recently, Red Bull, even claiming he was close to signing with RB for 2024.

📸 Fittipaldi celebrations in F2.

He’s spent a year out of single seater racing, racing in ELMS instead, but is now testing Indy NXT having also tested IndyCar with McLaren.

He’s raced on the Road to Indy before, completing one round in Indy Pro 2000 in 2021 before leaving the series.

Charlie Wurz

The son of ex-F1 driver Alex Wurz, Charlie raced the last two seasons with in FIA F3 for Trident and for Jenzer.

📸 Wurz celebrating an F3 podium.

He was desperately unlucky in F3 with things not going his way on multiple occasions but his talented is undoubted.

He’s not involved in this round of testing but is heavily linked and has apparently already completed ‘secret’ testing of IndyCar NXT machinery.

Others:

Ivan Domingues

F3 race winner in ‘25 - testing Indy Pro 2000

Andres Cardenas

Eurocup-3 in ‘25 - testing Indy Pro 2000

Nikita Johnson

GB3 race winner in ‘25, F3 driver, signed Indy NXT

📸 Ivan Domingues (pictured) became F3’s first Portuguese winner this season.

📸 Image credits: Formula Motorsport Limited, Euroformula Open Championship.