Caio Collet returns to HMD Motorsports for the 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone season after an impressive rookie year in which he finished third in points and secured a win and claimed a pole position at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in July.
Earning the Rookie of the Year Award is no small feat, and it’s clear he has what it takes to challenge for even more success in his sophomore season.
With champion Louis Foster and Jacob Abel moving up to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Collet now stands as the top returning points scorer in INDY NXT, which gives him a solid foundation on which to build.
This season, Collet could be a major contender, and if he continues to perform at the level he did in 2024, it wouldn't be surprising to see him pushing for more victories, podiums and, ultimately, a championship challenge.
“Our goal together with HMD is to fight and win the championship,” he said. “I think there's a lot of tough competition out there together with Andretti (Global) and ABEL (Motorsports), but hopefully we can be consistent and also improve and learn from our mistakes last year and beyond that fight until the end of the year.”
It's true that Andretti Global rookie drivers Dennis Hauger and Lochie Hughes, along with the impressive offseason testing performances of Myles Rowe and Callum Hedge from ABEL Motorsports, could pose serious threats to Collet's championship hopes in 2025. The offseason tests have certainly shown these drivers to be quick, and their competitive pace suggests they’ll be strong contenders. Collet, being consistently behind them on the speed charts, must work hard to close that gap.
But testing results don’t always translate directly to race results. Race day requires a mix of skill, consistency, strategy and often a bit of luck. Collet’s experience, especially after a solid rookie season, could give him an edge when it comes to handling the pressures of a real race scenario. The ability to adapt to the conditions and make smart decisions in race situations will play a huge role in who emerges as a contender.
“Patience is one of the things that I've done, to be patient and to wait for my time,” he said. “I think for sure, especially the oval racing, I was a little bit too impatient, and I underestimated a bit how things work.
“So, to learn from that, and to improve for this year, and also to be consistent, I think we have a big chance, especially in the beginning of the championship, to do good results. And I think for sure, the expectation, together with the team, is to win, and we will do everything that we can to achieve that.”
The first few races of the season are always crucial, and Collet’s ability to quickly adapt and get ahead of the pack due to his experience could give him a strong advantage early.
It’s not just about speed, either. It's about understanding the nuances of each track, managing tire wear and executing race strategy flawlessly. If Collet can build a lead in those early rounds and consistently finish at or near the front, he can put himself in a great position to maintain that gap throughout the season, even if the rookies start to catch up as they get more familiar with the car and tracks.
“All the tracks, they're not new for me, and I have experience in all of them,” he said. “I think preparation will be the key for this year to arrive in St. Pete, knowing exactly what we need to do and knowing how to approach the weekend. I think every time I stepped into a race weekend last year was first learning the track and then obviously how the car felt. And I think this we already know, and especially coming out of this year, we can check these boxes out of the way and start the weekend with a plan, from the moment we arrive, we are ready, not wasting time learning the track and seeing how the car feels and improving during the weekend.
“I think we need to arrive in the weekend 100 percent and maintain that.”
Collet has a prime opportunity to rack up points early in the season, especially given the road and street course-heavy start to the calendar. With his impressive performance last season – averaging a 4.9 finish across 10 road and street course races, plus that pole-to-win effort at Mid-Ohio and three runner-up finishes on circuits with left and right turns – he’s proven he can thrive on these types of tracks.
Building that gap is essential because not just the rookies figuring out the car and tracks, three of the final five races are oval events.
Ovals have historically been a bit more challenging for Collet, with a 13th-place average finish on them last season. That third-place result in the season finale at Nashville Superspeedway shows significant improvement and could be a huge confidence booster. The psychological impact of such a finish is important – it’s a reminder that Collet has the potential to contend on ovals, even if they aren’t his strongest suit.
“To finish up the year in Nashville, I think, not really fighting for the win, but to be there on the podium was really important, not only for me, but for my confidence and for the team to be able to show that we can learn from the mistakes, and we can be there this year,” he said.