For Caio Collet, the moment still doesn’t feel entirely real.
After years spent chasing opportunity across Europe and the United States, the 23-year-old Brazilian now finds himself preparing for a full rookie season in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, one of the most competitive, unforgiving championships in global motorsport. Not as a guest. Not as a temporary substitute. But as a full-time INDYCAR driver with AJ Foyt Racing.
“It’s a dream come true,” Collet said during Media Day. “To be in INDYCAR, after everything, it’s what every driver wants to achieve.”
Dreams, however, are only the starting point. What follows in INDYCAR is execution, adaptation, and resilience. And while expectations for rookies are often framed around survival, Collet’s own words suggest a driver quietly aiming higher.
Carrying the Brazilian Flag
Brazil’s history in INDYCAR looms large. Championships. Indianapolis 500 victories. Legends whose names still echo through the paddock. For Collet, stepping into that lineage is both an honor and a responsibility.
“It’s a lot of pride to represent Brazil,” he said. “There are so many great names, wins, championships, Indy 500s. Hopefully I can be the next one carrying the flag.”
Yet Collet is careful not to romanticize the comparison. He understands that heritage alone earns nothing on track. What matters is learning quickly and contributing meaningfully.
That mindset is reflected throughout his rookie outlook.
Unlike many American rookies, Collet’s path to INDYCAR was not linear. Raised in Europe, he made the conscious decision to shift his career to the United States early, fully committing to the American open-wheel ladder rather than treating it as a fallback.
“I came to the U.S. quite early,” Collet explained. “The goal was always INDYCAR.”
That move required more than speed. It required cultural adaptation, financial backing, and patience, particularly in INDY NXT, where Collet proved himself not just competitive, but consistent enough to warrant serious INDYCAR consideration.
His 2025 season delivered exactly what teams look for in a prospective rookie: results, composure, and growth.
But getting the seat was anything but straightforward.
How the Deal Came Together
Collet is refreshingly open about how complex the final steps into INDYCAR were.
“It wasn’t something that happened overnight,” he admitted.
Results in INDY NXT opened doors, but people pushed them open. Longtime supporters, sponsors like Combitrans, and advocates within the paddock helped turn potential into reality.
“When we started looking for opportunities, Foyt stood out the most,” Collet said. “It took some time to finalize everything, but here we are.”
That honesty matters. INDYCAR remains one of the few top-level series where talent alone is rarely enough. Collet understands that and doesn’t take the opportunity lightly.
If there is one theme Collet returns to repeatedly, it is complexity.
“INDYCAR is much more complex than INDY NXT,” he explained. “Strategy, planning the weekend, decision-making, especially on race day.”
Pit windows. Tire degradation. Fuel strategy. Yellow flags. Restarts. Ovals. Street circuits. Road courses. INDYCAR demands that drivers think several laps ahead while managing immediate risk.
Collet knows that mistakes will happen. His goal is to minimize them.
“Hopefully I can learn quickly and not make a lot of mistakes,” he said.
That statement alone reveals a rookie with realistic expectations, one focused on progress, not perfection.
For a rookie, environment can be the difference between stagnation and acceleration. Collet’s landing spot at AJ Foyt Racing offers something uniquely valuable: access.
Foyt’s technical alliance with Team Penske gives Collet more than just one benchmark.
“I don’t have only one car to look at,” he said. “I have three other very good cars.”
For a rookie learning race management, data is power. The ability to compare braking traces, tire usage, and strategy calls across multiple front-running entries is an enormous advantage, especially in a series where testing is limited.
Collet knows this partnership could compress his learning curve significantly.
Learning From Santino Ferrucci
Rookies rarely get to choose their teammates. Collet may have gotten lucky.
Santino Ferrucci, one of the grid’s most aggressive and accomplished oval racers, has already played a mentoring role during testing. The dynamic between the two drivers appears mutually beneficial.
“He’s really easy to work with,” Collet said. “On ovals, he’s one of the best guys on the grid.” 163585
Ferrucci’s praise has been equally notable, describing Collet as a “sponge”, a driver who absorbs information quickly and applies it intelligently.
Collet sees the relationship as two-way.
“On road and street courses, maybe I can push him and the team forward,” he said.
For a rookie, that balance, learning where needed, contributing where possible, is exactly what teams want to hear.
While Collet’s résumé includes oval racing, INDYCAR ovals are a different animal entirely. Traffic management. Dirty air. Multi-line racing at sustained speeds. The margin for error is slim.
Collet is candid about the challenge but not intimidated.
“Oval racing is something I need to learn quickly,” he said. “Decision-making is very important.”
Early testing, rookie orientation sessions, and Ferrucci’s guidance will all play a role. More importantly, Collet’s willingness to listen may prove decisive.
In INDYCAR, humility is often a survival skill.
Rookie of the Year: A Clear Target
Collet does not shy away from goals.
“Yes, Rookie of the Year is definitely a priority,” he said.
The 2026 rookie class is anything but weak. Dennis Hauger arrives as an INDY NXT champion. Mick Schumacher brings global experience and pedigree. The battle will be intense and unforgiving.
Collet believes consistency will be the differentiator.
“That’s what wins championships,” he said. “Especially a rookie championship.”
That mindset mirrors the approach taken by many successful rookies before him: finish races, learn relentlessly, and capitalize when others falter.
Few events carry the emotional weight of the Indianapolis 500. For Collet, simply being part of it is a career milestone.
“It’s another dream coming true,” he said. “I’ve been watching this race for years.”
But he also understands that May is a process, not a single race.
“There’s a whole month that prepares the race,” Collet explained. “A lot of things I need to do first before joining the grid.”
That respect for the event, and its demands, suggests a rookie approaching the Speedway with the right balance of awe and discipline.
Collet’s arrival coincides with INDYCAR’s return to free-to-air television in Brazil, a development that could amplify his impact beyond the paddock.
“Having INDYCAR on open TV in Brazil is huge,” he said.
For sponsors, exposure matters. For the series, international growth matters. And for Collet, the timing could not be better.
He is not just racing for points, he is racing for relevance in a market eager for a new Brazilian standard-bearer.
Can Caio Collet Win as a Rookie?
Based strictly on the interview, Collet himself does not frame 2026 around wins. His focus is learning, consistency, and Rookie of the Year contention.
That said, INDYCAR has a way of creating opportunity for prepared drivers, especially on chaotic race days, fuel-strategy gambles, or mixed-condition events.
If a win comes, it would likely be situational rather than expected. But more importantly, Collet appears focused on building something sustainable.
When asked how it feels to have achieved his long-term goal after such a significant life change, Collet paused.
“Quite surreal,” he said.
Yet there is no sense of arrival in his tone. No exhale. No satisfaction that signals an endpoint. Instead, there is gratitude and forward motion.
“I’m just trying to go out there, do the best I can, and represent as best as I can.”
A Rookie Built for the Long Term
Caio Collet will not enter 2026 as the most hyped rookie. He will not be the loudest. He will not promise immediate victories.
What he brings instead is preparation, perspective, and a clear understanding of how hard INDYCAR really is.
In a championship where rookies are often measured by how little they cost their teams, Collet may quietly exceed expectations: by finishing races, learning quickly, and being exactly what AJ Foyt Racing needs at this stage.
If 2026 is about foundation, Caio Collet looks ready to lay it properly.
And if the learning curve bends in his favor?
The wins can wait. The future doesn’t have to.
written by Philipp Kraus // Media Credit: Penske Entertainment
Great article. Congratulations
Thank you very much!