Dennis Hauger snatches “fastest ever” pole position in the Firestone GP at St. Petersburg

Dennis Hauger has made history at the St. Petersburg Grand Prix, setting the fastest-ever pole lap during Indy NXT qualifying.

The 21-year-old Andretti Global driver clocked a blistering 1:03.3801, securing pole position and shattering the track record at the Florida circuit.

Dennis Hauger set a lap time a little over two-tenths faster than his nearest challenger, Louchie Hughes.

The lap time set by the former MP Motorsport driver is also the fastest ever recorded in Indy NXT history, eclipsing the record set by Nolan Siegel—1:04.5759, achieved just last season by the Arrow McLaren driver.

Hauger, who joined the IndyCar series after leaving the Red Bull Racing junior team, has already made a strong impression, keeping several fans and teams on the edge of their seats.

The staggering time set by the former F3 champion prompted his current team, Andretti Global, to take to X (formerly Twitter), tagging the young Norwegian in a video of team staff congratulating him on his incredible achievement on his Indy NXT qualifying debut.

The Norwegian driver will now hope to convert his maiden pole into a race win—a feat that would make his debut race weekend even more remarkable.

British driver Jamie Chadwick previously achieved victory on her Indy NXT debut for Andretti Global, and Dennis Hauger will surely be aiming to replicate this feat.

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Dennis Hauger speaks after clinching Indy NXT pole

Dennis Hauger during the 2024 F2 Championship - Round 10 Spa-Francorchamps - Feature Race - Source: Getty

Dennis Hauger addressed the media following his stunning pole position lap at the Indy NXT St. Petersburg Grand Prix.

The 21-year-old watched as nearly half the grid attempted to surpass his best time—only to fall short. He took a moment to praise the collective effort of the Andretti Global team for providing a competitive car and an excellent race setup.

Speaking to the media, as quoted by Speed Sport, the former F2 driver said:

“The team did a great job getting a good car for qualifying. We did the job. I will take that. Overall, I think there was a bit more in there for me, but it’s the first race weekend. We’re getting up to speed. Happy overall.”

Hauger, who also dominated the Grand Prix practice sessions, will be hoping his strong form carries over to multiple race weekends this season.

The Andretti Global driver has frequently expressed that his ultimate goal is to earn promotion to the IndyCar series—a feat that could be within reach if he continues delivering impressive performances.