With the 2024 INDY NXT by Firestone season coming to an end this weekend, HMD Motorsports announces Rookie of the Year and Mid-Ohio race winner Caio Collet will return in 2025. With his sights firmly set on following in the footsteps of past HMD Motorsports champions and graduates to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Collet is looking to add INDY NXT by Firestone Champion to his flourishing resume.
Collet, who recently clinched the Rookie of the Year title with his efforts at the Milwaukee Mile, continues his INDY NXT journey in Nashville this weekend and into next year, where he will be a rookie no more.
“I am excited to continue in INDY NXT, and with HMD Motorsports,” explained Collet. “Almost every track was new to me this season so with a year under my belt, more experiences, knowledge, and knowing what to expect, I have my goals set high for 2025. Working with my Engineer Mike (Reggio) and the entire team has been great, and I know they have big goals as a program in 2025 and beyond.”
The 22-year-old Brazilian driver claimed his first INDY NXT career pole position and victory at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this year as well as three second-place finishes and one third-place finish earlier in the season. Collet also holds a handful of top-ten results amongst the 13 races he has run this season.
“Caio is a talent behind the wheel and his approach to each day, weekend, and season is like nobody else,” added Team President Mike Maurini. “To do what he did in 2024 was impressive. After never driving on any of these tracks, seeing some of them for the first time on a race weekend, and with the lack of preseason testing due to weather-plagued test days, we expect Caio to be in the thick of the title hunt in 2025. He has a very bright future ahead of him.”
With Rookie of the Year honors and a third-place championship result already secured in the 2024 INDY NXT by Firestone season, Collet will head to Nashville to add more experience to his arsenal.
Collet added, “This will be the largest oval I have run on ever. We had a good test, and I hope that we can carry that into the race weekend. In the end, the more laps I do this weekend, regardless of the result, will be beneficial for the 2025 season.”
Catch Caio and the rest of the HMD Motorsports driver lineup one last time this season at the Nashville Superspeedway this weekend in the INDY NXT by Firestone season finale. Partners for the #18 car are to be announced in the future. The 2025 season will begin on the first weekend of March at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
Please be sure to follow HMD Motorsports on Facebook, X, and Instagram by searching @HMDMotorsports. For more information on HMD Motorsports visit HMDMotorsports.com or email info@hmdmotorsports.com.
Photo Credit: Penske Entertainment