News Summary
- Josh Pierson has passed IndyCar’s special licensing evaluation, becoming eligible to compete in the championship in 2027.
- The 20-year-old is a leading candidate for AJ Foyt Racing’s No. 4 Chevrolet, backed by a reported $25 million funding package over two years.
- Caio Collet’s future remains uncertain, with the Brazilian exploring alternatives after his rookie IndyCar season.
Josh Pierson has cleared the final regulatory obstacle to making his IndyCar debut in 2027, passing a special licensing evaluation at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and moving closer to a seat with AJ Foyt Racing that could leave Caio Collet searching for another team.
The 20-year-old American completed the test on Tuesday, October 13, driving Foyt’s No. 4 Chevrolet around the Indianapolis road course. IndyCar subsequently confirmed that he had satisfied its performance requirements under the stricter licensing criteria introduced for drivers entering the championship next season.
The decision is particularly significant because Pierson had been unable to qualify automatically through his Indy NXT results. His proposed move to Foyt had therefore been complicated by regulations designed to ensure that incoming drivers possess sufficient experience and competitive credentials.
According to RACER, Pierson had been associated with a two-year funding package worth approximately $25 million, making him an attractive candidate for the team’s second car.
However, Foyt has not officially confirmed Pierson as its 2027 driver. The licensing decision establishes his eligibility, not a completed race-seat agreement.
IndyCar clears Pierson after special Indianapolis test
Pierson became the first driver to complete a dedicated evaluation under IndyCar’s revised licensing system.
The new rules establish automatic qualification routes for leading Indy NXT competitors, including drivers who finish in the top three of the championship or secure at least two victories within the specified period. Pierson did not meet either automatic requirement.
Although he finished sixth in the 2025 Indy NXT standings, he ended the 2026 championship in 11th place, despite taking two pole positions and his first series victory.
That victory, achieved in the opening race of the Laguna Seca doubleheader in September, proved decisive because it made him eligible to request an individual assessment.
IndyCar conducted the test under the supervision of series officials and former driver Davey Hamilton. The evaluation considered several aspects of Pierson’s performance, including car control, pace, consistency and communication with the team.
Following the session, IndyCar confirmed that he had satisfied the necessary standards.
“Pierson was deemed to have satisfied performance requirements based on criteria such as car control, pace, consistency and communication,” the championship stated.
The organisation concluded that Pierson was now eligible to obtain a competition licence and race in IndyCar. The approval removes the uncertainty that had threatened to prevent Foyt from completing its preferred driver arrangement.
Foyt’s $25m candidate moves closer to replacing Collet
Pierson’s licensing status has direct implications for AJ Foyt Racing’s 2027 line-up.
The organisation has already confirmed Dennis Hauger in the No. 14 Chevrolet, replacing Santino Ferrucci after the Norwegian secured Rookie of the Year honours during his first IndyCar season.
As GRANDE PRÊMIO reported when Hauger’s contract was announced, the team had been working towards pairing him with Pierson, but the revised licensing requirements created an unexpected obstacle.
Pierson’s approval now allows those discussions to progress without the same regulatory uncertainty.
The American has attracted attention not only because of his results in Indy NXT, but also because of the substantial financial backing associated with his potential promotion.
RACER previously reported that Pierson was offering approximately $25 million across two seasons. The amount has not been confirmed as the value of a signed agreement with Foyt.
Team president Larry Foyt had defended Pierson’s potential while awaiting the licensing decision, arguing that young drivers who demonstrate competitive speed and bring financial support should not automatically be excluded from the championship.
In September, Foyt explained that the team had been encouraged by Pierson’s victory at Laguna Seca. He also acknowledged the commercial realities facing smaller IndyCar organisations, which cannot always rely exclusively on corporate sponsorship to finance their programmes.
The team’s willingness to evaluate Pierson therefore reflects both sporting and financial considerations.
Collet faces renewed uncertainty after IndyCar rookie season
Pierson’s approval puts additional pressure on Caio Collet, who drove Foyt’s No. 4 Chevrolet during the 2026 season.
The Brazilian finished his rookie campaign with 203 points, placing behind Hauger and Mick Schumacher in the Rookie of the Year standings.
Collet’s future had remained uncertain even before Pierson received licensing approval, with Foyt considering changes to both of its cars for 2027.
Hauger’s arrival initially appeared to create several possible outcomes. The Norwegian’s departure from Dale Coyne Racing opened another seat elsewhere on the grid, while Pierson’s licensing difficulties had left open the possibility of Collet remaining with Foyt. That second possibility has now become less likely.
According to reporting by GRANDE PRÊMIO, Collet has been exploring opportunities with Juncos Hollinger Racing and Dale Coyne Racing as he attempts to secure a second IndyCar season.
Neither organisation has announced a contract with the Brazilian.
Pierson’s Indy NXT results raised licensing questions
Pierson’s route to IndyCar has been unusual because he already possessed extensive experience in the championship’s development category.
The American began competing in Indy NXT in 2023 and spent nearly four seasons developing his single-seater career.
His strongest championship result came in 2025, when he finished sixth with HMD Motorsports.
He moved to Andretti Global for 2026 and demonstrated improved qualifying speed, securing two pole positions and leading 108 laps, the highest total of any driver in the series.
However, his race results were less consistent, leaving him 11th in the championship.
His breakthrough victory at Laguna Seca came at an important moment, shortly after IndyCar announced the stricter requirements for drivers seeking to enter the senior category.
Without that win, Pierson would not have qualified for the dedicated evaluation route used at Indianapolis. The test therefore became a decisive stage in his attempt to reach IndyCar.
Foyt prepares a completely different 2027 line-up
If Pierson is confirmed, AJ Foyt Racing will begin the 2027 season with an entirely new driver pairing.
Hauger is already contracted for the No. 14 Chevrolet, while Pierson is the leading candidate for the No. 4.
The combination would bring together two young drivers with different development backgrounds.
Hauger won the 2025 Indy NXT championship before progressing to IndyCar and claiming Rookie of the Year in 2026. Pierson, meanwhile, would arrive after several seasons in the junior category without winning the overall title.
The difference in experience could make Hauger an important reference for the American during his rookie campaign.
Foyt also maintains a technical alliance with Team Penske, providing access to engineering knowledge and support from one of IndyCar’s most successful organisations.
The team’s immediate priority is completing its driver line-up before preparations intensify for next season.
IndyCar returns on March 5–7, 2027, with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg opening the championship.
GRANDE PRÊMIO will continue following the Foyt negotiations, Collet’s future and the wider driver market through its IndyCar coverage.
