My reason to follow the IndyNXT-series this year, Dennis Hauger, is all out already in the season opener. After besting the first practice session, and take a solid second place in the second. He delivers a massive Pole Position qualifying win, in his first real session of the series.
For those of us who have followed his career, we knew he is good with these types of car. After a solid F3-championship, and also a very good performance in the 2023 Macao Grand Prix with his belowed F3 chassis.
And after some rough seasons in the demanding F2-series, he is back with a bang in the IndyNXT with outspoken ambitions to win the championship on his first try. With a impressive 1.03.8801 time, he won the first qualifying group over half a second ahead of Caio Collet who was .5050 behind, with Liam Sceats on third in the session with a margin of 0.6650.
In the second group, no one could match Hauger’s time. Best effort came from Lochie Hughes with 1.04.0209, 0.1844 ahead for Myles Rowe, and with Jack William Miller on third with a 0.3091 margin to group best Hughes.
I’m at the moment not definite shure of how these times will be placed on the grid, but with a rolling start, and the two groups lining up in each row. It is a massive starting point for the Norwegian. After following his career in F3 and F2 closely, he is solid in the rolling starts. And with a easier driven IndyNXT spec, than the latest years F2 who showed off some real issues, he could turn this in to a solid finishing placement.
I won’t expect a win, as there is a all new series, and a all new way of using the car for race performance, but after very good practices, and qualification, he should be a definitive favorite for a top five placement.
But at the demanindng and tight St. Petersburg street circuit, a minor mistake, can end the day in the fraction of a second. So Haugers experience from street races in the F2 championship will come in handy.
I’m currently working on rights for pictures, screenshots and other content from producers and IndyNXT. But for now I have to refer to their website: