You don't have to look far on the list of Andretti's past Road to Indy talent to find drivers who eventually became stars at the highest level of American open-wheel racing.
Dennis Hauger won the 2025 Indy NXT championship and is set to compete in IndyCar in 2026. Louis Foster was IndyCar's 2025 Rookie of the Year. Christian Rasmussen was the top rookie finisher in the 2024 Indy 500 and won a race in his first full season in 2025. Kyle Kirkwood is a five-time race winner who finished fourth in the 2025 championship standings.
Pato O'Ward is a nine-time race winner, two-time Indy 500 runner-up, and perennial championship contender. Colton Herta is also a nine-time race winner, former championship runner-up, and now finds himself potentially on course to enter Formula 1.
It's exactly why two of their most recent moves at the level one below the NTT IndyCar Series cannot afford to be taken lightly – not now, and certainly not in the future.
Andretti's next wave of IndyCar talent is coming, and fast
After spending two-plus seasons with HMD Motorsports, Josh Pierson is set to drive the No. 29 entry in 2026, and after spending his rookie 2025 season with Andretti Cape, Sebastian Murray is set to pilot the No. 26 entry for the top-tier Andretti Global team.
In the Chris Griffis Memorial Test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in late October, Andretti Global dominated, and it was Murray who topped the speed chart in the 24-car session. Pierson was third, with teammate Max Taylor in between the two.
"It was a really good confidence booster," said Murray, whose 1:14.5035 lap around the 13-turn, 2.439-mile (3.925-kilometer) Speedway, Indiana road course was over one-tenth of a second clear of P2.
"We knew we were fast and managed to get a good lap in at the end of the day. But we went into that test with the mindset of just working on my weak points from the previous year, fixing things I needed to fix, and focusing on driving. We weren’t fussed about the lap time, but we were really good and consistent throughout the day. The team gave me a really strong car, so a massive thank you to them. It was good to finish on top."
Pierson was also encouraged by the team's pace, though he admitted that fans, to some extent, probably shouldn't reach too much into results from a test in October, with the season scheduled to begin in March,
"It’s hard to say," he admitted. "That test usually includes lots of new drivers who haven’t been in the car before. As a team of four we had strong pace, and even with Max and Seb being relatively new, we were among the more experienced groups there.
"Still, other teams will catch up. We have to keep working so we stay on top when the season starts. ... I’m looking forward to getting back in the car, learning more with the team, and seeing where we stack up."
Murray's rookie season featured top finishes of sixth on the streets of Detroit and fifth at Laguna Seca.
"The biggest jump for me was the power," Murray said of his experience as a first-year driver. "It’s about double what I was used to. And then all the new tracks, of course. The team and I took it weekend by weekend. They were great helping me progress all season. I’ve taken a lot from last year, worked on it since, and it’s really shown. But yeah, the biggest adjustment was learning the car and the tracks."
Pierson's second full season was a career year, as he jumped from 14th to sixth in points with a career-high 11 top 10 finishes, including the first two podium finishes of his career at Laguna. His consistency was tops in the sport, as he led all drivers with a best worth finish of 11th.
"Experience helps in some ways, but it’s not everything," he said. "What matters more is total time in formula cars. I spent two years in sports cars, and before my partial NXT year I’d only done two full seasons of USF2000. Compared to some guys, I didn’t have tons of formula-car mileage. I’m coming back much better prepared now, but it’s not some huge advantage everyone needs. It’s just one piece."
He is aiming for even greater improvement in 2026 with a team he knows is capable of winning the championship.
"I want to win the championship, for sure," he said. "Last year I had strong results, two podiums, and better race craft, but qualifying has been my biggest weakness. The plan is to focus on qualifying and starting up front, then work on closing races. I’m setting smaller goals each weekend to build the bigger picture.
"Winning the title and that scholarship is huge, but others have shown you can still make the jump without it. I’ll also work on the off-track side, backing and sponsorship, to aim for IndyCar in 2027, regardless.
"The calendar is uniquely challenging; different styles, climates, and circuits. For racing, Road America is the one I always look forward to: long straights, push-to-pass works great, big braking zones.
"Driving-wise, I love street circuits; St. Petersburg is a favorite for the atmosphere. I’m excited to see how Arlington races. Barber is a roller coaster and fun to drive. Mid-Ohio has tons of character: tight, twisty, with elevation. I like them all. Ovals have been a bit of a struggle for me, so I’m eager to test and improve there."
Murray is aiming to gain as much experience as he can and take it race by race in what figures to be his first season with a team consistently capable of running at the front. And if a championship happens to come with that, even better.
"I want to win races next year, without a doubt," he said. "I want to bring home trophies for the team. If we can come out on top in the standings, that’d be great, and that’s the goal. But realistically, we’re taking it race by race, trying to improve every round, and be at the front as often as possible. ...
"I’m looking forward to Arlington because no one’s been there before. It’s a new track, and I’ve never been to Texas. I love our calendar, though; starting at St. Pete is mega. I love Laguna and Detroit too, great circuits. Honestly, I’m a fan of all of them."
Pierson, Murray eye IndyCar down the road
Make no mistake about it; these two drivers are two drivers who have their sights set on IndyCar, particularly on being in the field of 33 to start the Indy 500 one day.
"Definitely," Pierson responded, without hesitation, when asked if he's ever imagined what it would be like to compete in the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing".
"Visualization is huge in motorsports; mentality makes the difference. I picture myself in IndyCar and in the 500 all the time; it helps set targets and keep the goal firm. I know I’ve got a strong team behind me at Andretti. I’m focused on learning as much as I can this offseason, getting more testing in, and I can’t wait to jump in the car at St. Pete to get the year started."
Murray shared the same sentiment.
"Every time, honestly!" he exclaimed. "Even on a day off, I’ll daydream about being an IndyCar or Indy 500 champion. It’s every kid’s dream to win races in IndyCar, or just to be there. That’s my goal and what I dream to achieve."
But both are extremely appreciative of the journeys they've taken to get to this point. Because at this point, one step below the big leagues, they are already somewhere that only a small fraction of aspiring race car drivers get to experience.
"It’s amazing to race under IndyCar at every event," Murray said. "IndyCar puts on such an incredible show. I can’t thank them enough. They’ve really welcomed me into the environment and helped me get to know everyone. It’s such a nice atmosphere being around the IndyCar paddock, and I appreciate every bit of it. It’s an awesome grid."
And ironically, had things not gone wrong for him overseas, the 18-year-old might not have even gotten the chance.
"I didn’t have a great year in British F3," he recalled. "A lot of mechanical failures and DNFs, stupid things that shouldn’t have happened. That kind of gave me the push to try something else. Everyone speaks so highly of the racing here in the U.S. I’d never even been here before my first test, but around Christmas time last year the Andretti Cape deal came across, and we took it straight away. Best decision we’ve made, I think....
"I signed the deal with Cape last year pretty late, and they were partnered with Andretti at that point. It was always my goal to drive for Andretti and do a second year, and they were happy with how I progressed throughout the year. So we just made the next step."
Murray doesn't come from a racing family, but without some of the sacrifices they made for the sake of his racing career, he knows he wouldn't have made it this far.
"My family are petrol heads; they love cars," he said. "But none of them actually raced. We moved to Dubai when I was about 12, and one day my dad just took me to the local kart track. We did a few sessions, really enjoyed it, and a few months later I had a proper kart. I started winning races and worked my way up from there. I’ve loved it ever since the first time I hopped in a kart. I’ve got the addiction."
Pierson hails from Portland, Oregon and has had a more conventional journey in the American open-wheel system, having spent two seasons in U.S. F2000 before moving to Indy NXT in 2023, but he knows he's been blessed with the opportunities he's earned, every step of the way.
"It’s surreal," the 19-year-old stated. "I’ve done a lot at a young age and have been blessed with strong teams. I wasn’t the most naturally gifted when I started; my first U.S. F2000 year was a struggle. So I’ve had to work hard. Opportunities in WEC and IMSA taught me a lot, especially learning from top sports car guys. Being one step from IndyCar is amazing, and I’m grateful to be here and still chasing that dream. ...
"My family always loved motorsports, but no one raced. My dad got into performance driving through local events, and when I came along, they started taking me to races. A family friend said it was time for karting when my sister turned five; we had no idea what that meant! Pat’s Acres Racing Complex in Canby, Oregon became my home track.
"I was driving around there when I was two and a half, and it never stopped. It’s been my passion from early on; I decided it was what I wanted to do for a career."
Now both drivers are aiming to take the next step in their respective careers with Andretti Global, the team's that's won the two most recent and five of the seven most recent Indy NXT championships.
And if they can have success, perhaps the visualization of starting an Indy 500 will indeed turn into a reality.
The 2026 Indy NXT season is scheduled to get underway on Saturday, March 1 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. The schedule consists of 17 races from the season opener through the season-ending double header at Laguna Seca in early September.