Salvador de Alba is set to take on a new challenge as he joins Andretti INDY NXT for the upcoming 2025 season. This move comes after a promising debut season with Andretti Cape INDY NXT, and it is part of a two-year agreement announced earlier this year.
Reflecting on his rookie season, de Alba expressed his gratitude for the experience. "The 2024 season with Andretti Cape INDY NXT was super positive for me. I’ve learned a lot from my time with the Cape’s, and I am grateful for getting to spend my rookie year with them in the INDY NXT by Firestone Series," said de Alba.
As he prepares for his second season, de Alba is focused on replicating and building upon his previous achievements. "I would like to start next season with similar results to how we ended this year, and I’ll work as hard as I can to achieve that. I plan to put all that knowledge into the 2025 season with the Andretti INDY NXT team. I’d like to thank my sponsors Grupo Indi, Red Cola, Mecano and ZMotors for believing in this project, and Michel Jourdain for putting it together," he added.
De Alba’s impressive campaign in 2024 was bolstered by his recent success, having clinched two championships earlier in the year in both the NASCAR Peak Mexico Series and Super Copa GTM. Transitioning into the INDY NXT series, he quickly showcased his skills, particularly on oval tracks, finishing every race in the top five on ovals. His noteworthy performance at Iowa Speedway saw him advance seven positions to achieve his first INDY NXT podium.
“The season came to a fitting close with an Andretti podium sweep,” he noted, marking a significant achievement for both him and the team. His second podium came at the Milwaukee Mile, where he secured a commendable third-place finish. By the season's end, de Alba had accumulated five top-five finishes and nine top-10 finishes, culminating in a fifth-place finish in the Driver’s Championship standings.
J-F Thormann, President of Andretti Global, emphasized de Alba's development and potential for growth. "After a strong INDY NXT rookie season, we’re thrilled to transition Salvador from our technical partnership with Cape Motorsports into our 2025 Andretti INDY NXT lineup. Salvador showed so much potential and progress in his first INDY NXT season, coming away with multiple podiums and finishing fifth in the Championship, and we have no doubt that he’ll continue that forward trajectory in his sophomore season," he affirmed.
The full-time steersman will make his debut as an Andretti INDY NXT driver during the Chris Griffis Memorial Test scheduled for October 18th. He will be joined by rookie teammate Lochie Hughes, as well as the rest of the team's lineup for the 2025 season.
This upcoming season presents a significant opportunity for de Alba to further establish himself in the INDY NXT series. His continued partnership with a well-regarded team such as Andretti sets the stage for what could be an exciting year ahead as he looks to advance his career in American open-wheel racing.
