Hauger working to turn Indy NXT dominance into an IndyCar promotion

Dennis Hauger is ready to join the IndyCar Series. At this point, it’s simply a matter of where he’ll bring his talents in 2026.

His body of work from the outset as an Indy NXT rookie made it clear the Formula 2 veteran from Norway was using IndyCar’s top training category to learn the tracks and educate himself on the style of racing that will become his future. Seven poles and six victories from 12 races with Andretti Global tell the tale of someone who’s biding his time until his name is written on the side of a Dallara DW12 IndyCar chassis.

“I think this feeder series has helped me a lot to be familiarized with the tracks,” Hauger told RACER. “It's just a bit of a different style in the U.S. with the street courses, the ovals, even the road courses – more technical, I would say, than some of the tracks in Europe. So it's been a really good experience so far to learn all of these new factors, especially with a team like Andretti, which has helped me a lot to build up the momentum. The learning curve is steep.

“But yeah, I feel as ready as I can be to move up. We'll see, obviously, if I get the opportunity in the end, but I’m pushing as hard again as I can to show that I'm worthy and ready to get up to the top step.”

Like many of the Andretti NXT/Indy Lights champions that came before him, Hauger has been enrolled in the team’s wide-reaching educational program, which also includes being part of its IndyCar sessions and learning on the timing stands when Colton Herta, Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson are on track.

“It's been awesome and really helpful,” Hauger said. “You’ve got guys in IndyCar just giving advice, even the drivers like Kyle and Marcus and Colton, and you’ve got guys like (Andretti COO) Rob Edwards with a lot of experience helping you. We go to the timing stands during IndyCar and see how things play out, how it works, how it is on the other side in pit lane. It's been a really cool experience to be a part of, and something I haven't seen anywhere else in terms of how they keep you learning and progressing as a driver within the team. So that's been a really, really good experience, and I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

The 22-year-old is thriving in a year where most IndyCar teams have their drivers locked in for multiple seasons or are looking for well-funded types in 2026. Unlike some of his rivals, Hauger isn’t wielding a large sponsorship package and hopes the showcasing of his skills in NXT will be enough for a big team to extend a merit-based offer of employment.

“It's been a really cool part of coming over here as well,” said Hauger, who can clinch the NXT title this weekend in Milwaukee. “It's more open in the paddock, a bit more like clear in that sense that if you do well, you get an opportunity most of the time. For me, there's nothing signed yet, but there is talking, and that's obviously always a good motivation and a good feeling to keep working hard and keep showing what I can do. The opportunities out there just gives you a bit of an edge to keep going.”