By: Spencer Neff
February 24, 2025

For 2025, three drivers will make their debuts on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES grid.

Before their first official action on-track at this weekend’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, meet the three drivers vying for Rookie of the Year honors in 2025.

Author’s Note: Arrow McLaren driver Nolan Siegel competed in 12 races during the 2024 season. Aside from the Indianapolis 500, he will not be eligible for Rookie of the Year honors.

Jacob Abel

Although his family entered the 2023 Indianapolis 500 with driver RC Enerson, Jacob Abel will be making his first INDYCAR start this weekend.

On January 13, the Louisville, Kentucky native was announced as the driver of the No. 51 entry for Dale Coyne Racing.

“It’s a lifelong dream come true… I can’t thank everyone who’s helped out along the way enough,” Abel notes in their announcement.

“I’ve had a great relationship with Dale for the last couple of years, and I’m very thankful for the confidence he has in me. The team has some very experienced personnel joining and returning to the program, and I have full confidence they will deliver a great race car and help me learn the ropes of the NTT IndyCar Series. It’s going to be a fun but challenging journey, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Abel moves to IndyCar on the heels of two seasons in the Indy NXT by Firestone. Last season, Abel earned three victories and pole positions in 14 races en route to a runner-up finish in the series.

His list of racing accomplishments also includes victories in the F3 and Formula Regional Americas Championships as well as a class victory at Watkins Glen in GT3 during the GT World Challenge America event.

“We have watched Jacob over the years and did an evaluation test with him at the end of the 2023 season, where he showed great promise in these cars,” Car Owner Dale Coyne said in January.

Louis Foster

The first driver confirmed as part of the 2025 rookie class, Louis Foster was signed by Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in October.

Foster, who is joined by teammates Graham Rahal and Devlin DeFrancesco, will drive the No. 45 this season.

The Odiham, Hampshire, England native makes his INDYCAR debut following a dominant 2024 INDY NXT season. Foster, who earned seven poles along with eight victories, clinched the championship with a race left in the season.

Following the season finale in Nashville, Foster’s 10 victories in the series put him in a tie with Tommy Byrne, Alex Lloyd, Kyle Kirkwood and Paul Tracy for second-most all-time.

Only Greg Moore (13) has more career wins in the former Indy Lights series.

Foster also won the Indy Pro 2000 Championship in 2022 and has victories in a number of junior formula series around the world.

Robert Shwartzman

Unlike his competitors for Rookie of the Year, the Tel Aviv, Israel native’s racing background has been forged outside North America.

Among his career highlights, Shwartzman has won championships in Formula 3 and Toyota Racing Series.

During the past season, he served as a test/reserve driver with Ferrari in Formula 1 and DS Penske in Formula E. Shwartzman also raced in the World Endurance Championship this past season as part of AF Corse.

In September, he earned the overall victory at Lone Star Le Mans with Robert Kubica and Ye Yifei at Circuit of the Americas.

Shwartzman was announced as PREMA’s second driver on November 5. He will team with Callum Ilott for the season.

Header Image Chris Owens/INDYCAR